That's All Folks! (But Not Really)

Though my daily routine at my internship did not lend itself very well to being described on a blog as it was largely reading journals, taking down data, and analyzing the said data I am glad to have been able to share what I learned along the way with those of you on my blog. I would like to thank all of the BASIS faculty members (as well as my external advisor) who helped us along the way with our projects and I would also like to congratulate all of the other seniors finishing up their projects. This has been an incredible learning experience, not just on my particular topic, but on what research actually entails,  how to present my findings in a way that's meaningful, and also how to adhere to a schedule (still working on this last point). All of the projects being done here at BASIS are amazing and I am excited to see everyone present this coming week. As for what will happen on the blog, I plan on posting my research materials and some data on the second page and a copy of my presentation (for those who can't see it for some reason want to see it again). There may also be some surprise posts in the future, so if you're interested stay posted.

Possible Drug Treatment for BK Virus Nephropathy (Part 2)

The final and most widely used agent used as a therapy against the BK virus is Leflunomide. Leflunomide is an immunosuppressive agent which is known to block dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, tyrosine kinase, and pyrimidine synthesis. It is licensed for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and has been used in combination with immunosuppression reduction in the treatment of BK virus-associated diseases. It has modest in vitro activity, however, much like some of the other drugs discussed previously in vivo data is both scarce and sometimes conflicting. What is known is that it can serve the dual purpose of both an antiviral as well as an immunosuppressant in high enough doses (higher than those generally given for rheumatoid arthritis). The other main benefit of Leflunomide which makes it one of the most promising candidates as a therapy to fight the BK virus is its oral bioavailability and its relatively low nephrotoxicity. The factor which limits its dosage is damage to the liver (the same also being true for Dayquil and cough syrup).