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Hey everyone,

Hey everyone,

Human metapneumovirus, or known as hMPV, is a virus that typically causes symptoms similar to those of the common cold. While it most often causes upper respiratory infections, hMPV can also cause lower respiratory infections, such as pneumonia. It can also trigger asthma flare-ups and exacerbate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). hMPV infections are more prevalent in the winter and early spring.

Since the first reported case of AIDS in the United States more than 40 years ago, the virus has infected more than 77 million people globally and resulted in over 35 million deaths. Currently, 36.9 million people are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and 1.8 million people become infected with the virus each year. Nearly 1 million people die of AIDS annually. Billions of dollars have been invested in researching ways to understand, treat, and prevent HIV infection. Despite the staggering disease burden, the scientific advances resulting directly from investments in AIDS research have been extraordinary.

Adeno-associated virus vectors are the leading gene delivery platform for treating a wide range of human diseases. Recent advances in developing clinically desirable AAV capsids, optimizing genome designs, and harnessing revolutionary biotechnologies have greatly contributed to the field of gene therapy. Preclinical and clinical successes in AAV-mediated gene replacement, gene silencing, and gene editing have popularized AAV as an ideal therapeutic vector. In fact, two AAV-based therapies have received regulatory approval in Europe and the United States. Ongoing research into AAV biology and a greater understanding of associated therapeutic challenges and limitations will pave the way for future clinical success.

Measuring soluble cytokines and other analytes in serum and plasma is becoming increasingly important in studying and treating many diseases. Consequently, there is a growing need for the rapid, accurate, and cost-effective measurement of these analytes in clinical and research laboratories. Multiplex bead array assays use an automated 96-well plate format to quantify large numbers of analytes. Although enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) are the standard for the quantitative analysis of cytokines and other biomarkers, they are not suitable for high-throughput, multiplexed analysis.