3 ms·
What is the motivation behind research that makes viruses more suitable for humans anyway? I assume it's not strictly a military project, since there was intern
by exitb 4y ago
What is the motivation behind research that makes viruses more suitable for humans anyway? I assume it's not strictly a military project, since there was international cooperation between countries that aren't allies. What is it we're tying to achieve?
- namose 4y agoSame reason black-hat security research exists. By developing a virus in a contained environment, you can study it, model it, potentially develop mitigations or cures.
- masklinn 4y agoBetter understand the mechanisms involved in order to have better tools to fight against it, or better surveillance tools when sampling? (e.g. have a better idea of whether a wildlife pathogen is approaching zoonoticity)
- npteljes 4y agoThe military application is the easiest to imagine, but viruses have been made useful in medicine too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adenoviridae#Use_in_gene_therapy_and_vaccination https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adenoviridae#Use_in_gene_thera...
- jcims 4y agoProbably has no relevance for the research in question but viruses are a very effective way to deliver CRISPR-based therapies. It's conceivable to implant the mRNA of a vaccine similar to what was used for COVID-19 into a transmissible virus and inoculate (or kill) large segments of the population.
- LatteLazy 4y agoThey will do it themselves naturally so studying such a change means you are already prepared when they do.