Matters Microbial #81: Viruses, Innate Immunity, and Undergraduates March 5, 2025

Today, Dr. Brianne Barker, Associate Professor of the Biology Department at Drew University, joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss how her undergraduate research group studies how innate immune mechanisms of cells recognize viral invasion.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Brianne Barker

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Links for this episode

• A video describing the immune system, both innate and adaptive.
• More of a focus on mechanisms of innate immunity, the focus for today.
• A description of basic immune cells.
• An introductory video describing the viral reproductive cycle in general.
• A description of PRRs (pattern recognition receptors) and MAMPs (microbially associated molecular patterns)
• An overview of interferons and disease.
• An introductory video overview of programmed cell death, called apoptosis.
• The role that retroviruses play in producing blue eggs in chickens.  Here is a very introductory summary.  
• The role that retroviruses play in placental mammals, including humans.
• How do cells recognize invading DNA during viral infection?
• A research paper by Dr. Barker’s research group.
• Dr. Barker on This Week in Virology.
• Dr. Barker’s faculty website.
• Dr. Barker’s research group website.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to [email protected]