Infectious Disease

Viruses are the simplest of biological systems, consisting only of protein and nucleic acid and incapable of reproducing themselves without a host. Yet viruses have made a huge impact on 20th century life, from their role as infectious agents in devastating diseases like smallpox and AIDS to their use as one of the key tools in the quest to decipher the workings of the gene. Virology research in Nebraska ranges across disciplines and into the frontiers of research, exploring the basic nature of viruses and their potential applications for diagnosis and control of diseases in plants, animals, and humans.