Join virus scientist Kate Bishop and host Dara Ó Briain in conversation, as they chat about what is like to be a virus scientist in the midst of a pandemic and whether the way science is done has changed forever.
Why are some viruses more deadly than others? Do all viruses attack in the same way? And if you know one virus, do you know them all?
Meet Kate Bishop, world-renowned virus expert and Crick scientist, who has used her knowledge and expertise in HIV to help tackle COVID-19. Kate’s spent years learning about retroviruses like HIV, getting to grips with how they invade and infect, with the hope of helping to stop HIV in its tracks.
When COVID-19 hit, Kate found herself in an unusual situation with her area of expertise thrust into the spotlight. Along with scientists around the world, she faced an urgent need to respond to the pandemic as it unfolded.
Virologists with different areas of expertise came together in a united effort to share their knowledge of viruses, quickly co-ordinating skills and efforts and working out new ways of doing things. Theories were built, tested, refined, then often overturned as new information came out to overrule what they had first presumed about the virus. An open mindset and adaptation was the key to staying ahead.
