I'm a graduate student studying the molecular and biochemical evolution of HIV within patients and within populations. I also study epigenetic control of ERVs.
Professor Santiago Elena, one of the profs who presented at the Viral Evolution conference I went to last fall, is featured in a nifty video about watching evilution in action!
Evolution of Life: Evolution before our eyes
Just like I use evilution in the lab to understand the population dynamics of HIV-1 to create an HIV-1 vaccine, Dr. Elena uses evolution to understand how viruses evolve and adapt in plants, which will help us protect our crops.
Evolution isnt just about retarded monkey-fish-frogs. Understanding it has a direct impact on your quality of life.
Life Science
Comments
Hat tip to you Abbie.
I want to use the first comment to say thanks for using Scienceblogs to blog about science.
I love Arnie reports and the TARD wars, don't get me wrong, but reading a scientist write about their work in their own field to try and make it accessible rocks.
I sometimes get the impression that 2/3rds of the "Sciencebloggers" ran some sort of bait and switch by using impressive credentials to get a host where they can devote time to how many times their kid went poopies, who they are going to vote for and to leech Youtube videos of commercials.
If they bother to post about science it is to link to somebody else who is actually writing about it....usually so they can complain.
I get PZ's devotion to the war with TARD and WOO but sometimes I wish even he would shut up and tell me something about evo-devo and cuttlefish.
ERV=Keeper of the Flame
Posted by: Prometheus | November 4, 2009 2:55 PM
Erv - you have a typo in the word 'evolution' in this post's title. I'm sure you didn't mean to write 'evilution', unless you've suddenly turned into a creationist.
Posted by: fsdfsdgdfgfxgfxgs | November 4, 2009 4:36 PM
Posted by: llewelly | November 5, 2009 1:57 AM
I wasnt aware HIV was used in gene therapy ! Abnbie, this might interest you :
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-11/ea-tcs110509.php
Posted by: Rorschach | November 5, 2009 10:15 PM
OK here goes
So what
-It's still viruses
-It's still single cells
-It's still variation within "kinds" or baramin
-It's still microevolution
-Evilution
That's why we need scientists to put down the IDiots and Cre(a)ti(o)nists. We need zingers, cannon, bazooka, tanks, needles, etc. Because you see, if you think your children made it through high school in a diverse district (like mine, an exemplar among liberal diverse districts US-wide) and what me worry? - think again. It will be a looooong time before the stupidity of IDiocy and Cre(a)ti(o)nism will be broken up and pulverised. Because tomorrow your scientist daughter could be fighting for funding with a denier of a Cong'man or state rep. And she will need all the ammo she can get. So even if it strains scientists to keep whacking down such stupidity, it must be done. As the general public our job is to take up these points of science and blog, twitter to the max. No Quarter!
Posted by: impal | November 6, 2009 9:36 AM
This is intelligent design not Darwinism. The androgynous European planned every step. In order to prove the religion of evolutionism, it all must happen by random chance.
Posted by: Toidel mahoney | November 15, 2009 7:11 AM
Toidel mahoney: Natural selection is the opposite of random. Please to be learning some science before posting on a science blog.
"The androgynous European"
Interesting that creotards feel the need to highlight their perception of their opponent's sexuality/sexual identity when commenting. Almost makes you think that they don't have a valid point to make about the research. Oh, wait....
Posted by: embertine | November 18, 2009 6:50 AM
embertine writes:
If it isn't random, then intelligent design must be involved. Non-random selection means an intelligent designer planned it that way.
Sodomy and evolutionism go together like worm and spice. Evolutionism is the theory, sodomy is the practice. Since evolutionists deny teleology, they necessarily deny the teleological meaning of the mouth and anus and thus think they are sex organs because they are declared to be so.
Posted by: Toidel Mahoney | November 18, 2009 12:54 PM
"Sodomy and evolutionism go together like worm and spice. Evolutionism is the theory, sodomy is the practice."
Somebody tell Janine Melnitz to hit the big red button on her desk and shout "WE GOT ONE!!!"
I have soooo missed the unfettered loonies....tell me you are for realsies don't troll me bro.... it would be cruel, like giving kids toothbrushes and carrot sticks for Halloween.
Posted by: Prometheus | November 18, 2009 2:46 PM