Description

SARS-CoV-2 is a complicated virus - from the various names we use for the virus itself, the disease it causes, and the class of viruses from which it comes, to the complex interactions the virus has with and in the cells it infects. 

In this episode, you'll learn about:

1. the classification of SARS-CoV-2,
2. the genetic composition of the virus and what it tells us,
3. the physical structure of the virus,
4. how SARS-CoV-2 infects human cells,
5. how the virus is transmitted, and 
6. how our immune systems combat the virus -- sometimes more than they should.

You can find the source material for this episode on the Harvard Medical Student COVID-19 Curriculum Website.

Episode credits:

Content Development: Harvard Medical Student COVID-19 Curriculum

Narration: Casey Kim and Ryan O'Keefe

Script Preparation: Casey Kim

Editing: Casey Kim

Modified with Permission from the Harvard Medical Student COVID-19 Curriculum Module 1: Basic Virology and Immunology

Authors: Adi Achanta; Stephanie Alden; Pamela Chen; Nicole M. Gilette; Ashwini Joshi; Pinky Langat, PhD; Jeff Meng; Blake Oberfeld; Jordan Said; Simone Sasse; Abigail Schiff, PhD; Allen Zhou

Editor: Kendall Carpenter

Reviewers: Gaurav Gaiha, MD, PhD; Daniel Solomon, MD; Shiv Pillai, MD, PhD