Researchers at the Viral Immunology Center study viruses that directly affect the central nervous system and pose a potential danger to humans. The center’s studies focus on the mechanisms by which a virus kills a host and how that process can be circumvented with early identification, appropriate antiviral drugs, and in the future, effective vaccines.

Additionally, the center screens drugs that fight the viruses that naturally occur in animals but may cross into the human population. 

The Viral Immunology Center also contains the National B Virus Resource Center. Laboratories worldwide send samples to the Resource Center for 24 / 7 / 365 diagnostic testing for B virus. B virus naturally occurs in macaque monkeys, which are widely used in medical research. The virus is relatively benign in a host monkey; however, if spread to a human through bites, scratches, splashes, or needle-stick injuries, the virus can be deadly: It causes ascending encephalomyelitis, a disease with a fatality rate of 80 percent. The Resource Center also provides educational resources and emergency information related to B virus infections.

Worth noting: The center is housed in state-of-the-art facilities designed to meet the high level of bio-containment required when working with B virus. The center has a bio-safety level 4 (BSL-4) facility, which offers the highest level of protection, as well as a bio-safety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory. The center is also equipped with a robotic automation facility that speeds the testing of samples. 

Institutions involved: Georgia State University

Research focus: The center’s current projects are focused on the molecular biology of human and nonhuman primate alpha herpes viruses and the diseases they cause; immune response characterization; and antiviral strategies, including drug discovery and high-throughput drug screening. Center researchers are also studying unique reoviruses (that can infect the central nervous systems of non-human primates), langur viruses, and a newly isolated mangaby herpes virus. 

GRA investment: The center is led by GRA Eminent Scholar Julia K. Hilliard. GRA also has invested in the Center's biosafety and robotics capacity. 

External funding: The center is funded largely through the National Center for Research Resources, one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and through NIH grants for specific research projects.  

Web site: http://www.gsu.edu/bvirus