Flu Gets Shot in Arm from USU Research at Jan. 23 Sunrise Session
Every year in the United States more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications and about 36,000 people die from flu. With flu season 2009 in full-swing, thousands of people have lined up to receive the influenza vaccination to lessen the chances of contracting the infectious and debilitating disease.
Despite current vaccinations and great strides researchers have made to lessen the occurrence of the flu, much more research needs to be done. That is where Utah State University antiviral researcher John Morrey and his colleagues in the USU Institute for Antiviral Research come in.
Morrey is one of the nation’s premier antiviral researchers and will discuss USU’s research partnership with the U.S. government and National Institutes of Health on studies involving several drugs currently in clinical trials that are effective in treating the flu at its various stages. His presentation will also highlight USU’s research efforts: a new drug that would treat bioterrorism viruses, a drug in clinical trials for the treatment of West Nile virus, and what USU is doing to create therapeutic remedies for mad cow disease.
USU’s antiviral research program was established in 1977 and has received more than $46 million in federal funding since 1985 to study viruses of military concern, influenza, AIDS, RSV, Hepatitis, SARS, Yellow Fever and encephalitis viruses, many of which have annual outbreaks.
Despite current vaccinations and great strides researchers have made to lessen the occurrence of the flu, much more research needs to be done. That is where Utah State University antiviral researcher John Morrey and his colleagues in the USU Institute for Antiviral Research come in.
Morrey is one of the nation’s premier antiviral researchers and will discuss USU’s research partnership with the U.S. government and National Institutes of Health on studies involving several drugs currently in clinical trials that are effective in treating the flu at its various stages. His presentation will also highlight USU’s research efforts: a new drug that would treat bioterrorism viruses, a drug in clinical trials for the treatment of West Nile virus, and what USU is doing to create therapeutic remedies for mad cow disease.
USU’s antiviral research program was established in 1977 and has received more than $46 million in federal funding since 1985 to study viruses of military concern, influenza, AIDS, RSV, Hepatitis, SARS, Yellow Fever and encephalitis viruses, many of which have annual outbreaks.
“Many infectious diseases — small pox, Ebola virus, Hantavirus — have been weaponized and can spread through the air,” said Morrey. “The federal government is funding our research so we can study the diseases and create ways to eradicate them in case of an outbreak.”
The most famous and lethal flu outbreak was the Spanish flu pandemic that lasted from 1918 to 1919. Current estimates say 50 to100 million people worldwide were killed during the pandemic, often described as “the greatest medical holocaust in history.”
Morrey said there will be another flu epidemic, and existing and emerging viruses continue to pose a challenge for researchers working to create antiviral solutions.
“Our research efforts do provide an opportunity to make a difference to the world’s health,” Morrey said.
Morrey is director of USU’s Institute for Antiviral Research and a professor in the animal, dairy and veterinary sciences department in the College of Agriculture.
USU’s Sunrise Sessions is a breakfast lecture series held quarterly and designed to highlight timely and cutting-edge research conducted at Utah State University. The lecture is sponsored by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah.
Members of the media are invited to the Sunrise Session breakfast. To RSVP, call 801-961-1340 or respond online.
The most famous and lethal flu outbreak was the Spanish flu pandemic that lasted from 1918 to 1919. Current estimates say 50 to100 million people worldwide were killed during the pandemic, often described as “the greatest medical holocaust in history.”
Morrey said there will be another flu epidemic, and existing and emerging viruses continue to pose a challenge for researchers working to create antiviral solutions.
“Our research efforts do provide an opportunity to make a difference to the world’s health,” Morrey said.
Morrey is director of USU’s Institute for Antiviral Research and a professor in the animal, dairy and veterinary sciences department in the College of Agriculture.
USU’s Sunrise Sessions is a breakfast lecture series held quarterly and designed to highlight timely and cutting-edge research conducted at Utah State University. The lecture is sponsored by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah.
Members of the media are invited to the Sunrise Session breakfast. To RSVP, call 801-961-1340 or respond online.
Contact: USU Vice President for Research office, 435-797-1180
USU antiviral researcher John Morrey will discuss USU's research partnership with the U.S. government and National Institutes of Health at the Jan. 23 Sunrise Session in Salt Lake City.
Comments and questions regarding this article may be directed to the contact person listed on this page.
