This Week in Virology artwork

Science · Vincent Racaniello

This Week in Virology

by Vincent Racaniello

This Week in Virology is a netcast about viruses - the kind that make you sick.

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

TWiV 1351: Ancient Viral Sword and Shield

TWiV explains discovery of a previously unknown mechanism of RNA-guided DNA recognition for genetic control that possibly predates the emergence of CRISPR pathways, and t

Sep 27
1 h 46 min

TWiV 1360: Clinical Update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello frustration continues over the increasing number of measles infections, Kennedy’s undermining of vacc

Sep 26
1 h 00 min

TWiV 1359: SSPE, the Long Shadow of Measles

Roberto Cattaneo and Kalpana Yadav join TWiV at the 2026 meeting of the American Society for Virology to discuss how the absence of measles virus receptors in the brain s

Sep 20
1 h 10 min

TWiV 1358: Clinical Update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are angered by the continuous reporting of measles deaths in the US and around the world, the Ebola o

Sep 19
53 min

TWiV 1357: Furin, Naturally with Paul Bieinasz

Paul Bieniasz joins TWiV to discuss his lab’s discovery that the coronavirus nuclease NSP15 cuts viral RNA into oligonucleotides that are reinserted elsewhere in the vira

Sep 13
1 h 44 min

TWiV 1356: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello delve into dengue virus infections in Florida, recent human rabies infections in the US, proposed cha

Sep 12
47 min

TWiV 1355: Four billion years of AI training data

TWiV reviews a landmark paper reporting the first generative design of complete viral genomes using AI, producing 16 viable bacteriophages that overcame antibiotic-resist

Sep 6
1 h 38 min

TWiV 1354: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello remember Dolly Parton and her patronage of science, especially development of the COVID-19 vaccines,

Sep 5
1 h 05 min

TWiV 1353: Phage bet-hedging and EBV antibodies

TWiV explores how bacteriophages enable bet-hedge against bacterial immune defenses, and how transgenic mice engineered to produce human antibodies yielded potent anti-EB

Aug 30
1 h 52 min

TWiV 1352: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are disheartened by the suggested change in federal vaccine recommendations, how Florida rolled back

Aug 29
48 min

TWiV 1351: Ebola Virus Brains and Contagious Catfish Cancers

TWiV describes a human cerebral organoid model for Ebola virus persistence, and brown bullhead catfish melanoma, a novel transmissible cancer. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello

Aug 23
1 h 40 min

TWiV 1350: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are perplexed by the state of global public health as malaria, cholera and other infectious diseases

Aug 22
1 h 00 min

TWiV 1349: Smallpox and mummies

TWiV explains how liquid–liquid phase separation and a phage-encoded inhibitor cooperatively drive transcriptional transition during phage SPO1 infection, and the first s

Aug 16
2 h 02 min

TWiV 1348: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are troubled by the latest executive order changing routine childhood vaccine recommendations, the ca

Aug 15
54 min

TWiV 1347: No Short Answers for Long COVID

TWiV explains research showing that Long COVID is associated with reactivation of numerous chronic viruses, including herpesviruses and anelloviruses, and with the produc

Aug 9
1 h 47 min

TWiV 1346: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello are distressed by Erica Schwartz’ confirmation as CDC director, the GAO proposed pandemic preparednes

Aug 8
54 min

TWiV 1345: Rocky Mountain Virology High

TWiV travels to Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, where he speaks with Angela Bosco-Lauth, Rebekah Kading, and Mark Stenglein about their careers and their virolo

Aug 2
1 h 18 min

TWiV 1344: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello discuss the numerous attempts by states to roll back vaccine laws, the recent surge of Dengue virus c

Aug 1
48 min

TWiV 1343: Batting averages and stolen bases

TWiV explains research which shows that Per os infectivity factors are essential for bracovirus infection and wasp parasitism, and that periodic shifts in viral load incr

Jul 26
1 h 42 min

TWiV 1342: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello explore the source/not source of the national cyclospora outbreak, trust in the FDA to correctly iden

Jul 25
39 min

Chart trend

Position in the Science chart (US), last 90 days.

#22
all-time peak
223
days in the top 50 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where This Week in Virology ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 29, 2026).

#55 ▼ 18 Science US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

Huge thanks to Vincent and the team and guests who put so much effort into this platform! I learn so much and find the discussion engaging. I’m a microbiologist, trained as a bacterial specialist, but for nearly 2 decades I’ve been doing bacteriophage research and that’s my team’s focus (so I guess I’m a viral guy too now). I have learned a great deal from this podcast and have been led to some super-informative papers by it. Gargantuan kudos for the way the podcast addressed the COVID-19 pandemic! It was such an important service to the public, and I hope more and more folks are following!!

Family shared - Nik · Mar 2026

Thank you for continuing to provide evidence based scientific information, in a time where pseudoscience is taking hold. Y’all are a breath of much needed fresh air.

SC microbes · May 2025

I’ve been listening since the COVID pandemic. Weekly update with Daniel Griffin is pure gold because he communicates so that lay people can also follow along. I love the group discussions even though much goes over my head. I’m a middle school English teacher who has great respect for scientists. Thank you for all you do!

molls1983 · Feb 2025

The 16 August 2024 episode really helped us with a new case, in the family home, of COVID-19. The recent Long Covid episode was enlightening for a work situation. Just pressed pause and made another donation. TWIV is lifesaving.

ALittleChaotic · Aug 2024

I was excited to delve into great conversation about viruses and viral research, including gory details and critical analysis. You definitely get some of that in this podcast, to be sure, and I appreciate how they dissect publications rather than just parroting press releases. Unfortunately, what struck me the most was the host’s political vehemence. They treat a commenter dissenting on COVID origins, whose comments I thought were fair, with surprising levels of aggression. The guest lady was the only one who actually addressed the argument, because the host was all, “You’re wrong, buddy!” I know scientists and those with emotional intelligence tend to be under inverse selection pressures, but that’s why most scientists shouldn’t host podcasts. The host is directly contributing now to the decline in public trust of scientific institutions by being a jerkwad. His hatred of RFK Jr is so total and supreme that I wonder if he’s playing a political persona. Or, is he just mad that he is losing power among the people who are waking up from appeals to authority? News flash: we don’t care that you are an expert. You must carry yourself in an appropriate manner to be heard now, surfacing all assumptions where they exist, including and especially your own. Then, connect your evidence with an understanding of why people may not agree with you. That is the start of delivering quality science. It is difficult, sure, but now mandatory. Now, go have the day you think RFK Jr deserves.

Zootvine · Aug 2026

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