CNN - According to new documents shared with U.S. lawmakers this week, the genetic sequence of the coronavirus was submitted to an NIH database two weeks before the Chinese government disclosed its findings.

Science - Lawmakers say delay in making the sequence public held up vaccine work. The never-completed GenBank submission was “a huge missed opportunity” to start to develop drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines earlier, agrees virologist Jeremy Kamil of LSUHS.

New York Times - Newly released documents indicate that a U.S. genetic database had received the sequence of the coronavirus two weeks before it was made public by others.

Louisiana Economic Development - LSU Health Shreveport scientists have discovered a promising new treatment for prostate cancer and developed a playbook detailing how to track viral variants in underserved areas.

Researchers from academic institutions in Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia have partnered to publish a playbook detailing their model developed for establishing collaborative, community-centered infectious diseases surveillance programs committed to improving equity in genomic sequencing.

Technology Networks - This article looks at the LSUHS CEVT and discusses why the proactive detection and monitoring of viral threats through genomics studies is vital in preventing future pandemics.

The Center for Emerging Viral Threats at LSUHS recently sequenced the first instances in Louisiana of the XBB.1.16 and XBB.1.9.1 variants. "Detecting these very recently emerging variants demonstrates the robustness of our efforts,” said Krista Queen, PhD, Director of Viral Genomics and Surveillance.

Dr. Krista Queen, Director of Viral and Genomic Surveillance for the CEVT, was invited to speak at the Eastern Mediterranean Acute Respiratory Infection Surveillance (EMARIS) Network, organized by the World Health Organization.

Shreveport Times - The Center of Excellence for Emerging Viral Threats (CEEVT) and its wastewater monitoring laboratory at LSU Health Shreveport have been testing wastewater samples to monitor the spread of COVID-19 in local communities.

Mercury News - The (new) variants look a lot like the virus that was the template of our new bivalent booster, so vaccination still works. “It’s not a perfect match … but it’s close,” said Jeremy Kamil, a virologist at LSUHS, who studies variant mutations. “In most cases, that’s going to keep the infection in check.”

Bloomberg - Jeremy Kamil, virologist and professor of microbiology and immunology at LSUHS, shares, "Vaccinated and previously infected people have robust and still-intact lines of defense, such as memory T-cells and B-cells. People previously infected also have additional immune cells that reside in the respiratory tract."

Nature.com - Jeremy Kamil, a virologist at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport shared, “The world needs to see more collaborations like this. Speed is crucial when it comes to fighting the virus.”

318 Forum - The 155,000-square-foot Center for Medical Education will be home to large classroom spaces, clinical skills labs and simulation suites – each designed to encourage collaboration, active engagement and innovative thinking. 

Medscape - Dr. Jeremy Kamil, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at LSUHS talks with Medscape about the importance of virology in addressing concerns over hot topic viruses.

The Louisiana Board of Regents has supported full five-year approval for the Louisiana Addiction Research Center (LARC) and Center for Emerging Viral Threats (CEVT), with the CEVT continuing to be a designated Center of Research Excellence. The Board of Regents approval follows unanimous approval of both centers by the LSU Board of Supervisors earlier this year. Both centers were previously granted provisional approval and applied for full center approval earlier this year.