As swine flu concerns sweeps the nation, Van Andel Institute's Arizona
affiliate has begun unraveling the virus to develop faster testing
methods and determine drug resistance. As the research gathers
momentum, recruits in the Grand Rapids labs may join the effort.
According to excerpts from the story:
When he heard of the disease outbreak in Mexico, a researcher
associated with Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids began helping to
unravel the mystery of swine flu.
"We have to make sure we can
bring all of our tools to bear on swine flu," said David Engelthaler, a
microbiologist with a Phoenix-based laboratory that formed an alliance
with Van Andel Institute in February. "Science no longer is a one-man game. We're bringing more minds together, and it will improve what we're doing."
The
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) in Flagstaff, Ariz.,
is among the few in the country that have a test to identify the swine
flu virus, known as type A H1N1. Engelthaler heads a team of
researchers looking for signs the virus is mutating, which could make
it resistant to current treatments. Like the flu itself, some of that
research might spread to West Michigan. If the swine flu outbreak
continues, Van Andel Institute researchers likely will join the effort
to stem its spread, said Jeffrey Trent, who recently became research
director for both institutes.
Read the complete story here.
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