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News: influenza
How pandemic flu viruses gain the ability to infect humans
24 April 2013
Researchers at NIMR have shown how structural changes mediate the transmissibility of flu viruses in humans. The research is published in Nature.
Evolution of influenza virus binding receptors
21 January 2013
Researchers at NIMR have shown that recent influenza A(H3N2) viruses have very different receptor binding properties compared with older viruses. The research is published in PNAS.
An antibody that binds to group 1 and group 2 influenza A haemagglutinin
29 July 2011
Scientists from NIMR and Switzerland have identified and characterised an antibody that targets all of the strains influenza A, including swine flu, bird flu and Spanish flu. The research is published in Science.
WHO Influenza Centre interim report Sep 2010 published
19 November 2010
The WHO Influenza Centre at NIMR has published its interim report, September 2010. The report was prepared for the WHO annual consultation on the composition of influenza vaccine for the Southern Hemisphere.
A more virulent form of swine flu
03 November 2010
NIMR scientists have helped to explain why a swine flu variant linked to fatal cases is more deadly. The research is published in Journal of Virology and will be highlighted in the December issue of Microbe.
WHO Influenza Centre evidence to Select Committee
19 October 2010
The WHO Influenza Centre at NIMR has submitted evidence to a Select Committee enquiry into Scientific advice and evidence in emergencies.
Flu virus in 3-D
04 June 2010
NIMR scientists have obtained new images of the influenza virus in three-dimensions. The research is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA.
Host shifts in influenza
17 November 2009
NIMR scientists have developed a new method to study host shift events in influenza. The research is published in PLoS Computational Biology.
John McCauley becomes Director of NIMR WHO Influenza Centre
16 October 2009
John McCauley has taken over as Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, housed at NIMR. The previous WIC Director, Alan Hay, has retired.
Dating the origin of the 1918 influenza pandemic virus
01 October 2009
NIMR scientists have studied the sequence of the virus that caused the 1918 influenza pandemic and have estimated its date of introduction into mammals and into the human population. The research is published in Journal of Molecular Evolution.
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