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Professor Vincent Racaniello, a BioCrowd co-founder, blogger and host of the increasingly popular This Week in Virology (TWIV) podcast series made an anguished plea in a recent post on his Virology Blog to help promote American science literacy. “If you are writing a book, article, toy label, or anything having to do with viruses, and you are not sure of the science, feel free to contact me for advice. I will check the facts for free, because my goal is for everyone to get the science right” said Professor Racaniello.

Vincent expressed his sentiments in a post entitled “Even Toy Makers Should Get it Right” which takes a company to task (Giant Microbes) for manufacturing  “an influenza virus toy” (yes you heard it correctly) and mistakenly presented incorrect information about the influenza virus in the toy’s promotional materials and on its label (an image of the incorrect materials is displayed in the upper left hand corner of this post) . 

While only a toy, I agree with Vincent that it is imperative that all relevant facts about an infectious agent ought to be correct to insure that lay people, many of whom will never read another thing about viruses in their lives, get scientifically correct information. That is the essence of science literacy!

I have known Vincent for over 35 years and I think he is one of the brightest and most unassuming world class scientists that I know (yeah I know a few). One of the things I like most about Vincent is that he is a stickler for detail and (for as long as I have known him), never draws a scientific conclusion unless it there is incontrovertible proof that it is the correct conclusion.  While I routinely rail against self-focused and uncaring academics, Vincent is exactly the opposite. His unwavering commitment to teaching and increasing the public awareness of viruses, and science in general, is second to none. And when he says, please feel free to contact him for help he truly means it and will do everything possible to help you find what you need. Having said that (yes, I know you hate that phrase Vincent; btw so does Larry David), if any of you aspiring young scientists out there need a role model, I highly recommend that you keep Vincent in mind. And, if you need virology help or want to chat with him you can find him on twitter @profvrr or of course, at the BioCrowd!

Until next time....

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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Since the beginning of the pandemic last spring, BioCrowd founder and virologist extraordinaire Vincent Racaniello has been vigilantly writing at his at his Virology Blog about HIN1 pathogenesis, epidemiology, immune responses and vaccines.  When not blogging about HIN1, Vincent also writes about other viral diseases and does a weekly virology podcast called This Week in Virology (TWIV).

In a very short time, Professor Racaniello has amassed a huge collection of original articles that could be compiled into a virology textbook with a title like “Everything you ever wanted to know about H1N1.” And, not surprisingly, his Herculean efforts have not gone unnoticed: today his Virology Blog was recognized and listed as a legitimate source of H1N1 information by the New York Times. 

For those of you who haven’t been overwhelmed by the unrelenting swine flu media frenzy and are seeking sound information about the H1N1 epidemic, I highly recommend that you check out Vincent’s blog. Also, you can talk with Vincent at BioCrowd when he is not too busy blogging, podcasting or conducting laboratory research.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Remember to Wash Your Hands !!!!!

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Vincent Racaniello, an intrepid virologist and BioCrowd co-founder, has been keeping folks up to date on the swine flu outbreak on his blog. Today, Vincent wrote: “There are now 257 laboratory confirmed cases, with 7 deaths, in 11 countries. In the US there are 109 cases  in 11 states. There are many more suspected cases; together the statistics indicate widespread dissemination of the new H1N1 influenza virus. I no longer doubt that this is the next pandemic strain. WHO will probably soon raise the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6. Important questions include whether spread will continue in the northern hemisphere through the summer, or stop very soon, as is the case with most influenza virus outbreaks. Unfortunately the southern hemisphere seems in for an extended flu season. Will antivirals be useful in reducing morbidity and mortality? Will the virus returns to the north in a more virulent form in the fall? Can a vaccine be prepared in time?”

 For answers to these questions and others, please visit the Virology Blog or join BioCrowd to chat with Vincent. Check his virology blog for the most up-to-date swine flu information.

 Until next time... 

 Good Luck and Good Virus Hunting (or not)!!!!

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