Watch on demand: Biology professor discusses viruses, virology and coronaviruses

Above, Dr. Hazel Barton, professor of biology and geology, provides a short introduction to viruses, virology and coronaviruses.

She discusses where researchers think the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 originated, how it causes COVID-19, and how best to deal with the current pandemic. Think of this as a short virology course for someone with no background in biology.

Barton, who teaches medical microbiology, has served for six years on the Public and Scientific Affairs Board for the American Society of Microbiology and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.

The presentation is moderated by Dr. Randy Mitchell, professor of biology at UA.

PART 2 SCHEDULED

Keeping Up With Coronavirus, Part 2 will be presented Wednesday, April 29, from 9 to 10 p.m. EDT. The webinar will explore coronaviruses in more detail, including their origin, structure and how they replicate, and what this means for anti-viral drugs, vaccines, testing and immunity.

Barton, a professor of biology and geology, will also discuss what has been learned about the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, how it is spreading and how it causes the COVID-19 disease. The impacts of quarantine and social distancing, and what this means about our ability to ease the current lockdown, will also be discussed.

You can register online for the webinar.

This webinar is being hosted by the National Speleological Society website, where it is being stored for later viewing or downloading.