The basic aim of vaccination is to reduce the R naught (R0) factor of a pathogen. r k mahapatra R0 is a measure of transmissibility of the virus. It is always observed that whenever a new pathogen enters a closed community, say an isolated island, it rapidly infects a large number of the residents causingContinue reading “Vaccination and R0”
Category Archives: Ideas of health
Everybody likes a Good Pandemic
Year 2019 was devastating for all biotech start ups. Shares of the most established companies dealing with biotech Pharma products had nose dived. Stephan Bancel, the CEO of a little known mRNA company was worried sick. The company’s shares are trading 35% below its initial value. Developing a new drug molecule consumes billions of dollars.Continue reading “Everybody likes a Good Pandemic”
Katalin Kariko
There is hardly any difference between a RNA virus and a mRNA vaccine. Both consist of a strand of RNA surrounded by a lipid envelop. RNA viruses are there for billions of years infecting all forms of life, algae, plants and animals. Thus life has developed astute mechanism of shaking of unwanted RNAs. Every tissueContinue reading “Katalin Kariko”
Merck’s Adenovirus Mis-adventure, 2007
Merck’s Adenovirus Misadventure. Merck is the biggest developer of Vaccines. It is also a pioneer in harnessing Adenoviruses to transfer genetic material into human cells. Today, we have more than a couple of vaccines that uses an adenovirus vector for covid-19 vaccine. But Merck has none. Why ? The story of modern day vaccines beganContinue reading “Merck’s Adenovirus Mis-adventure, 2007”
The story of Benjamin Jetsy and Cowpox
Who discovered vaccination against Small Pox ? We all remember that in the year 1796, Edward Jenner, a British Physician had inoculated the son of his Gardener with the cow pox germ.Jenner had named this process as vaccination. In latin, Cow is known as Vacca. Here is the original story. Small pox was rampant inContinue reading “The story of Benjamin Jetsy and Cowpox”
Dr Ramakanta's Ideas 