Abstract

In his video, Matt Koci, Ph.D. will introduce himself, how he came to work on poultry diseases, and why viruses are fascinating biological paradoxes.  He’ll explain what a virus is, how common viruses are, and the basics of a virus life cycle, even though viruses aren't alive.  All of this will introduce you to what we know about viruses, and how much we still have to learn, so we can make sense of how something so small ends up being so consequential. 

Matt Koci is a professor in the Prestage Department of Poultry Science, where his research, teaching, and outreach program is focused on understanding how the immune system recognizes, responds to, eliminates, and ultimately develops resistance to pathogens.  His teaching includes an undergraduate course that focuses on how our food and fiber production system, economics, politics, and society are interconnected -- and how disruptions to our food supply by infectious diseases can impact the whole system.  In addition to research and teaching, he is also passionate about science outreach and has developed several innovative K-12 STEM outreach programs.

TRANSCRIPT

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS

1. Want to know more about viruses in general or coronaviruses specifically?

   • Coronavirus Biology

   • Virology Lectures 2020

   • This Week in Virology | A podcast about viruses - the kind that make you sick

   • Coronaviruses 

2. The long link between animal diseases and human diseases

   • Zoonotic Diseases | One Health

   • Why Do Other Animals Keep Giving Us Viruses?

3. How did this move around the world and what is it doing now?

   • Evidence the virus is not man-made

   • Coronavirus: Incredible time-lapse shows hospital go up in days

   • COVID-19 Map - Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center

   • COVID Act Now

   • NC DHHS COVID-19: COVID-19 North Carolina Dashboard

   • Follow the evolution of the virus as it moves around the world

   • Top 20 Countries by Total Coronavirus Infections (January 15 to May 15)

   • Coronavirus Cases in the US, by State, COVID-19 Outbreak in the United States

   • What do we know about how much masks and social distancing help

4. Answers to COVID-19 related questions

   • A Primer On and Conversation About the Biology and Evolution of SARS-CoV-2, the Virus That Causes Covid-19 | Applied Ecology (opens in a new tab)(opens in new window)

   • A High School Q&A About Covid–19 | Applied Ecology | NC State University (opens in a new tab)(opens in new window)

   • Is Six Feet Enough? Sometimes, Maybe | Applied Ecology | NC State University

   • How Long Can Viruses Survive in a Dead Body?

If you want to keep up with what’s going on with COVID-19 and other plant and animal (humans are animals) diseases follow the Twitter account for Dr. Koci’s course on food system disease disasters @Agrosecurity411 where he is posting news and updates on the pandemic and research to stop it.