Microbe Hunters - Then and Now

Microbe Huntersthen and now provides an overview of discoveries in animal and plant viruses, bacteria, parasites, and other issues, including prion diseases and mucosal immunity. Moreover, it points to the direction of further research, as exemplified by Kilbourne's comments: "The somewhat untidy packages of RNA that we call influenza viruses may have been hunted down, but they dissemble even as we study them. Today's hunters find that the chase is still on as they pursue the protean proteins of an ephemeral quarry," and by Weller's view: "It is clear that the age of discovery of new viruses of pediatric importance persists as it did half a century ago. What is different is the vast spectrum of molecular tools available to the modern microbe hunter."

Michael B.A. Oldstone, M.D., is a leader in the field of viral pathogenesis. Currently, Dr. Oldstone is a member (professor) at the Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California. He is Head of the Division of Virology in the Department of Neuropharmacology and directs a research laboratory studying viral pathogenesis. He is currently a Scientific Counselor for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, a member of the World Health Organization Scientific Advisory Group of Experts (for infectious diseases), and Editor of Virology.