SAN ANTONIO — There is no cure for the Ebola virus, but a team of scientists in San Antonio may have found the next step towards figuring out how it works.
- Ebola researchers in San Antonio make discovery
- Findings were published in medical journal
- Currently there’s no cure for Ebola
Researchers from across the country worked together at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute to see how an Ebola virus protein interacts with a protein found in humans.
The discovery is important because it could lead to scientists learning more about out how to prevent this interaction and how to stop the spread of the disease.
Last month, the findings were published in the renowned medical journal Cell.
One staff scientist explains why she was drawn to studying and interacting with this deadly virus.
"I always wanted to dedicate my life to helping people, and for me personally, that was to pursue studying emerging viruses; the ones that have a high impact on humanity, for which there are no treatments” Dr. Olena Shtanko, Texas Biomed Staff Scientist said. “I found that this was a place where I could actually help people."
Thousands have died from the Ebola virus in the last four years, with the latest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo claiming almost 400 lives last year.