Going Viral
Chemical engineering assistant professor Priya Shah
By Noah Pflueger-Peters
Though viruses are known for causing diseases like COVID-19, UC Davis chemical engineers UC Davis’ Karen McDonald and Priya Shah think they can be as beneficial as they are destructive. From producing and purifying drugs for humans in space to inspiring new tools for biotechnology, viruses are being re-engineered to help humans who are suffering from injuries or diseases. “Viruses can be nasty pathogens, but they can also be incredibly useful tools,” said Shah. “We can’t forget about them when they’re no longer causing a major disease, because there are extremely valuable things we can learn from them.” Viruses are simply a string of genes protected by a protein coating that replicates when they interact with living host cells. Though they’re known for causing disease, viruses are best at using their host to replicate themselves, making them ideal models for researchers who want to quickly make a lot of a product using biology. “Viruses are really good at controlling cells and making them do what they want to do, which is produce more virus,” said McDonald. “We use their replication machinery because they’ve evolved to be really efficient protein factories in hosts.”
Chemical engineering assistant professor Priya Shah
