TWiV 284: By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler

The TWiV team discusses how skin scarification promotes a nonspecific immune response, and whether remaining stocks of smallpox virus should be destroyed.

Links for this episode

• Skin scarification protects against vaccinia virus disease (J Virol)
• Smallpox research agenda (PLoS Path)
• WHO report on variola research (pdf)
• Review of smallpox research program for WHO (pdf)
• How I record my lectures (virology blog)
• Letters read on TWiV 284

Weekly Science Picks

Rich - EPCOTVincent - Medical BiotechnologyKathy - Alan Alda interview and Flame Challenge winnerDickson - NASA live from space

Listener Pick of the Week

Nicola - 50 cent microscope (be a beta tester)Jon - Camtasia Studio

Send your virology questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twiv@twiv.tv