FIU granted $3.4 million to fight Zika virus according to : Miami Herald

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Rick Scott has announced 34 grant awards for Zika virus research following his authorization of $25 million in state funds for Zika research and vaccine development last fall. Grant funding will be used to help expedite the development of a vaccine to prevent Zika infection, understand and mitigate long-term impacts of Zika virus on children and adults and develop innovative, cost-effective Zika testing methods. The Florida Department of Health (DOH) oversaw the grant process, which was awarded through a competitive process based on recommendations by the Biomedical Research Advisory Council. The following organizations received grant funding awards:Florida Atlantic University – $199,280Florida International University – $2,183,004Florida State University – $2,169,675Moffitt Cancer Center – $199,280Nova Southeastern University – $198,886The Scripps Research Institute – $199,280University of Central Florida – $1,297,817University of Florida – $2,922,999University of Miami – $13,170,784University of South Florida – $2,458,995For a full breakdown on projects and grant funding, please click HERE. Researchers at any university or research institute in Florida were eligible to apply.

Researchers find Zika virus replicates in placental trophoblasts, could have implications for early prenatal diagnosis

Next, they specifically measured Zika virus nucleic acid using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which is equivalent to the clinical test used for Zika virus. "Since the placental trophoblasts are permissive to replication, our findings suggests that the placental trophoblasts may serve as a reservoir and potential portal for fetal transmission." Researchers also wanted to determine how the Zika virus might enter the trophoblast cells and why the virus replicates in the placental trophoblasts when other viruses do not. Why do only a small minority of infants born to infected women appear to be affected by Zika virus infection? Research techniquesResearchers used three techniques to show that Zika virus, but not its related cousin dengue virus, was capable of propagating in placental trophoblast cells.



collected by :Lucy William
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