We are currently experiencing an epidemic- possibly even a pandemic- caused by the Corona retrovirus infection. Our scientists are busily working in their labs and countries budgeting for multibillions of dollars on developing a specific vaccine. Since it is generally agreed among the viral microbiologists that before such RNA viruses can produce their diseases they first must gain entrance into the host(human ) cells – specifically the T4 helper lymphocytes ,maybe these world wide research labs should be concentrating on this simplistic approach to prevention were you don’t need expensive equipment- including human subjects. for testing – just a few `microscopes equipped with phase contrast microscopy and time lapse cinephotomicrophy. The scientists need only special training in microscopy and tissue culture techniques-training I already possessed- see the summary below..
After completing a doctorate in Plant Pathology and cytogenetics at the U of Toronto in 1955 and an MD degree at U. of Manitoba in 1960 and 4 years of training in tissue culture methodology in the Department of Cancer Research with the U. of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon I was invited in 1965 to help the Winnipeg Clinic set up a tissue culture laboratory at their large private clinic in Winnipeg. We purchases a special Time lapse unit called a Sage Cinephotomicrographic apparatus. which enabled us to observe and record on movie film the behaviour of various living cells-.We were especially interested in the behaviour of various blood cells and the role they played in the homograft rejection section .In the Dec 06,1966 issue of the Medical Post, Gene Telpher detailed the status of the lab.
In the summer of 1968 the Winnipeg Clinic decided to dissolve their research lab and to donate the equipment to the U.of Manitoba medical school -specifically the Dept of Anatomy. When I was unable to find employment in medical research I began medical practice in 1969 . In 1974 I set up my own private research lab to study aging at the cellular level. When I found that the equipment which had been donated to the Dept of Anatomy was just “gathering dust” I arranged to borrow it- specifically the Sage time lapse unit and the Reichert micro photometer.. For the next 15 years while in active practice I would spent my “spare time “. obtaining footage of the behaviour of lymphocytes in blood culture. I mainly used – hanging drop” blood culture on specimens which were grown in blood culture with most experiments cultured from a few hours to several days.- In the late 1980’s and early 90’s when the level 4 Microbiology lab in Winnipeg under the direction of Dr. Frank Plummer,were doing studies on the retrovirus HIV/AIDS -he was interested in his observation that the sex workers in Kenya had developed an immunity to becoming infected. I mentioned in the opening paragraph of this post that one of the prerequisites of becoming infected is that these retroviruses first have to penetrate the host cell and be present in the cytoplasm before the RNA virus can instruct the host DNA to reproduce copies of the RNA virus that maybe this Sage photograph unit might become in useful in how these sex women are protected from becoming infected from AIDS infections..-Maybe one does not need to develop a vaccine. .
