Director: Professor Martin Jeggo outside the CSIRO facility.
ERIN PEARSON
Geelong is leading the world in testing bats’ immune systems for keys to beating some of the world’s deadliest viruses, according to the city’s CSIRO animal health laboratory.
Director Professor Martyn Jeggo said the laboratory presented its latest findings to 600 scientists from around the world last week.
Working out how bats carry viruses like SARS and Ebola without showing symptoms could hold the key to preventing infections in humans, he said.
“A lot of people have worked with bats but we’re taking it to the next level. We lead the world in bat research.”
Prof Jeggo said the focus of the international research was working out what “drives” viruses among animals before they infect humans, he said.
“If we can understand that process better hopefully we can reduce the risk of the host-jumping event.”
