Pittsburg, PA
Vaccine researchers in Pittsburgh join new pandemic preparedness network
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — After the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc, Pittsburgh researchers are doing everything they can to help prevent another devastating pandemic from happening again.
Most of us would like to forget the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s a motivator for the people who study dangerous viruses at the Center for Vaccine Research at the University of Pittsburgh.
“People like us in the Center for Vaccine Research have to remember that it existed and have to be ready for the next one,” said Paul Duprex, director of Pitt’s Center for Vaccine Research.
Duprex is thrilled the center is joining a new National Institutes of Health network. The Research and Development of Vaccines and Monoclonal Antibodies for Pandemic Preparedness network, ReVAMPP, is aimed at boosting pandemic preparedness.
He said they’ll receive millions of dollars in awards over the next three to five years to come up with plans that can be used to quickly respond to virus threats.
The experts at Pitt will study prototype viruses from four troublemaker virus families — like the family that includes mumps, for example.
“If you imagine that a virus, which is very closely related to mumps but is transmissible as mumps comes along and we don’t have natural immunity to that because the mumps vaccine that we have is not protective, we can take that knowledge, which we identify for mumps, and use it to quickly generate a new vaccine,” Duprex said.
To put it simply, they’re using examples to prepare for something that emerges in the future.
“We can take all of that knowledge and pivot that knowledge into this new virus that we’ve never seen before,’ he said.
Duprex said CVR’s regional bio-containment lab will benefit the program greatly. Researchers there worked with coronavirus, SARS, MERS and more.
“We take advantage of all of that knowledge that we built, all of that expertise we have, not to look backwards but to look forwards,” he said.
He said the “prototype pathogens” model is similar to the one that accelerated vaccines to fight the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases expects to commit $100 million per year to fund the ReVAMPP program. Multi-million dollar rewards will go to multiple research groups that make up the network across the U.S.
Duprex is proud Pitt researchers are a part of this new network. They’re ready to suit up in full protective gear and develop blueprints that could be life-saving.
“If you think about it as seven families, lots of scientists, lots of virology, lots of vaccinology, lots of preparation with a view to be ready to move. It’s super exciting. It’s just wonderful that we get to play a part in it,” Duprex said.
Pittsburg, PA
Steelers fall to Ravens, 34-17
The two miscues by Wilson spoiled an otherwise solid game for the Steelers quarterback. With the Steelers playing without top wide receiver George Pickens, Wilson threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns.
But it was the turnovers and Baltimore’s rushing attack that led to the Steelers (10-5) failing in their attempt to clinch the AFC North title.
Even with the loss, the Steelers remain in first place in the AFC North, tied with Baltimore (10-5) based on tiebreakers. The Steelers can still win the division title if they win their remaining final two games.
The Steelers host the Chiefs on Christmas Day, then finish the regular season at home against Cincinnati, while the Ravens travel to Houston on Christmas Day and host Cleveland.
Lamar Jackson, who entered this game having thrown five touchdown passes and eight interceptions in his career against the Steelers, leading to a 1-4 record, threw three touchdown passes and one interception.
This game was more about Baltimore’s running game, however, as Derrick Henry gained 162 yards on 24 carries as Baltimore, which entered having lost eight of the past nine games against the Steelers, rushed for over 200 yards in the game.
The Ravens drove across midfield on their opening possession, but Alex Highsmith had a strip sack of Jackson. And though the Ravens recovered the loose ball, they were out of field goal range and forced to punt.
The punt, however, was downed at 3 and the Steelers failed to record a first down, punting the ball back to Baltimore.
Return man Desmond King fumbled, but the Ravens recovered that loose ball, as well, and after Henry carried the Ravens inside the 10, Jackson tossed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely for a 7-0 lead.
The Steelers answered quickly, though, as Wilson completed all six of his passes on the ensuing possession to five different receivers, including a 1-yard TD pass to tight end Mycole Pruitt on the opening play of the second quarter to tie the game at 7-7.
The Steelers forced a punt on Baltimore’s ensuing possession, and it went just 14 yards, giving Pittsburgh the ball at its own 44.
Wilson again quickly moved the Steelers down the field. But at the end of a 20-yard scramble, he was hit by safety Ar’Darious Washington at the 4 and fumbled, with Baltimore recovering.
That would prove to be a big swing, as the Ravens drove the length of the field from there in eight plays, scoring on a 14-yard touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman from Jackson on third-and-8 to take a 14-7 lead.
It was only the third touchdown this season allowed by the Steelers following a turnover.
The Steelers were forced to punt and Baltimore got into field goal range for a 51-yard Justin Tucker kick that increased its lead to 17-7 with just under two minutes remaining in the half.
But Wilson deftly maneuvered the Steelers into scoring range for Chris Boswell at the end of the half, a 51-yard field goal of his own, that cut the lead to 17-10.
The two teams traded punts to open the second half when the Steelers got the ball back at their own 12. Wilson connected with Calvin Austin III off of play-action down the sideline for a 44-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage and then finished off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Cordarrelle Patterson to tie the game at 17-17 with 5:14 remaining in the third quarter.
The completion to Patterson marked the ninth different Steelers player to make a catch at that point.
But working against a Pittsburgh pass defense that opened the game without safety DeShon Elliott and cornerback Donte Jackson and then lost corner Joey Porter Jr. to a calf injury in the first half, Jackson threw his third touchdown pass of the game, this one to tight end Mark Andrews from 7 yards out to put the Ravens back on top, 24-17.
It was the first touchdown catch by Andrews – Baltimore’s all-time touchdowns leader – in 11 career games against the Steelers.
The Steelers drove across midfield on their next possession, and on fourth-and-6 from the 45, the Steelers kept the offense on the field. On the opening play of the fourth quarter, Wilson took the shotgun snap and scanned the field. Austin broke free over the middle and he attempted to hit him at the goal line. But safety Kyle Hamilton came in and broke up the pass and the Steelers turned the ball over on downs.
Henry broke free for a 44-yard run to the Pittsburgh 11. But on the next play, Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted Jackson at the Pittsburgh 8 and returned it 24 yards to the 32 to turn the Ravens away.
But after a first-down run, Wilson threw a pass behind Pruitt that was intercepted by Marlon Humphrey and returned 37 yards for a touchdown that increased Baltimore’s lead to 31-17 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the game.
The Ravens added a 23-yard Tucker field goal with 3:10 remaining in the game to push their lead to 34-17.
Pittsburg, PA
KD Quiz: Part 4 (12/21)
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