TY - JOUR A1 - Hufsky, F. A1 - Ibrahim, B. A1 - Beer, M. A1 - Deng, L. A1 - Le Mercier, P. A1 - McMahon, Dino Peter A1 - Palmarini, M. A1 - Thiel, V. A1 - Marz, M. T1 - Virologists—Heroes need weapons T2 - Plos Pathogens N2 - Virologists. You might know a couple of them, but unless you are a virologist yourself, the probability that you have collaborated with one in the past is low. The community is relatively small, but they pack a heavy punch and are expected to play a leading role in the research into pathogens that lies ahead. You may ask why we think virologists are our future. Suffice it to say that it is not just because they have invented technologies that belong to the space age, including use of viruses as vehicles to shuttle genes into cells[1], organic nanoparticles with specific tools attached to their surfaces to get inside target cells[2], and using genetically modified viruses as therapies to fight against cancer[3]. Did you know that virologists currently only know of about 3,200 viral species but that more than 320,000 mammal-associated viruses[4] are thought to await discovery? Just think about the viruses hidden in the Arctic ice[5] or in the insects and other animals from once cut-off regions in the world, which now face ever-increasing human exposure[6]. But a heroic (as well as an apocalyptic) role for virologists may also be on the horizon, as the adoption of phage therapy may, in the future, be used to control harmful bacteria when antibiotics fail PB - Public Library of Science CY - Lawrence, Kan. KW - Virology KW - Bioinformatics PY - 2018 UR - https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-bam/frontdoor/index/index/docId/44240 AN - OPUS4-44240 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-442402 SN - 1553-7366 SN - 1553-7374 VL - 14 IS - 2 SP - Article e1006771, 1 EP - 3 AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany