NOVA-Manassas to Present: What is a Virus? The Basics of Virology, July 10

What is a Virus? We are all hearing a lot about viruses in these times of the COVID-19 Pandemic. And, there is a lot of talk about what we should do to avoid catching it. But do you know what a virus actually is? If not, then join us as we present The Basics of Virology. In this talk we will discuss the differences between a virus and bacterium. We will also discuss the basics of virus replication, infection and how our immune system attempts to cope with a virus.

What is a Virus?: A Faculty and Staff Workshop
Friday, July 10th, 11 a.m.

Zoom information:
Join the Zoom Meeting
https://vccs.zoom.us/j/99119116693

Meeting ID: 991 1911 6693

Presenters:
Chris Eninger is locally born and raised. He attended NOVA as a dual enrollment student. He then attended George Mason University receiving a B.S. in biology, later an M.S. in biology, and later still, an M.S. in chemistry. He was an adjunct on the Loudoun Campus for four years and on the Alexandria Campus for three semesters prior to moving to North Carolina for work for three years. He then returned to NOVA, this time to the Manassas Campus, almost five years ago. He teaches anatomy and physiology, general biology and microbiology courses.

Vijaya Gandreti has over eight years of teaching experience at NOVA’s Annandale and Manassas campuses. Vijaya received an M.S. degree in microbiology from Osmania University in India, and then finished an M.S. in bioinformatics from George Mason University. Prior to teaching, she gained more than five years of professional experience working in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. She currently teaches microbiology, bioinformatics for biotechnology, and general biology courses at NOVA-Manassas.

Ryan Marcheschi spent his first two-and-a-half decades of life in the midwest where he attended Iowa State University earning a B.S. in genetics, and  University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry. As part of his graduate research, he studied processes involved in the replication of HIV. He continued his scientific career as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California-Los Angeles, where he studied how to produce biofuels in bacteria. Seven years ago, he moved to the Northern Virginia area and became an adjunct at NOVA’s Loudoun Campus. Two years ago, he joined the Manassas biology faculty and currently teaches general biology, genetics, and biotechnology courses.