Study gives new information about influenza

According to a new study, researchers at the University of Georgia (UGA) were able to identify key host cell pathways needed by influenza virus for replication. This was done using ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) silencing technologies. "We have the technology today that allows us to target specific genes in human cells and silence those genes to inhibit the production of virus in the cells," explains Ralph Tripp, a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and co-author of the study. Therefore, identifying the cell pathways makes it easier to develop the correct treatment. "Through this research we can repurpose previously approved drugs and apply those to influenza treatments, drastically reducing the time from the laboratory to human medicine," says Victoria Meliopoulos, a UGA graduate student who also co-authored the study.