Scientists at the Center for NanoBiotechnology at Alabama State University in Montgomery have received a U.S. patent for a new nanomaterial to treat respiratory syncytial virus, a major cause of respiratory illness in young children.
The invention involves gold nanoparticles that attach to a specific protein of the virus and stopped further growth in laboratory tests. The scientists will now proceed with further testing with the hope they can bring a product to market that will be able to treat patients with respiratory syncytial virus.
Vida A. Dennis, associate professor of microbiology and the associate director of the Center for NanoBiotechnology, said that “this invention is extremely exciting as it puts Alabama State University at the forefront for potentially curing RSV infections.”
Dr. Dennis is a graduate of the University Liberia. She holds a master’s degree from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo and a Ph.D. in parasitology from the University of Georgia.
