Accidental Brisbane discovery could disrupt common and deadly viruses
A University of Queensland researcher has discovered a biological pathway that viruses use to spread between cells, potentially leading to new treatments for deadly infections like Ebola. This accidental finding could bypass the issue of viral mutation that limits current antiviral drugs.
Why it matters
This discovery offers a promising new strategy for developing universal antiviral treatments that are less susceptible to viral resistance.
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Share A A A A Queensland researcher’s accidental discovery could lead to a new treatment for common viruses, with the potential to disrupt some of the world’s deadliest viral infections, including Ebola and hantavirus.
University of Queensland neuroscientist and biochemist Dr Merja Joensuu was researching the neurological pathways of children affected by hereditary spastic paraplegia, a group of rare genetic disorders, when she made the breakthrough.
“We were studying how processes work inside the human brain when I noticed the disruption in a pathway that numerous human viruses rely on to speak from one cell to the next,” Joensuu said.
UQ neuroscientist and biochemist Dr Merja Joensuu (right) made an accidental discovery that could lead to a new treatment for common viruses. University of Queensland “That was a lightbulb moment.
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