Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 17, 2026
07:43
Author Spotlight: Addressing Regulatory Gaps in Molecular Studies by Quantifying Viral Vectors in Complex Matrices
Published on: July 14, 2023
2.8K
Spatially structured models of viral dynamics: a scoping review
Thomas Williams1, James M McCaw1,2, James M Osborne1
1School of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews : MMBR
|September 16, 2025
Summary
Spatially explicit models enhance understanding of viral infection dynamics within hosts. This review consolidates diverse modeling approaches to guide future research and applications in virology.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Mathematical Biology
- Computational Biology
Background:
- Growing recognition of spatial structure's importance in within-host viral dynamics.
- Recent surge in spatially explicit models driven by computational power and biological insights, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Spatially structured models offer greater biological realism than conventional mean-field approaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an exhaustive update on the state of spatially structured viral dynamics models.
- To address the underuse of these models in biological applications due to methodological diversity.
- To identify key themes for future model development to enhance robustness and utility.
Main Methods:
- Scoping review of the literature on spatially structured viral dynamics models.
- Analysis structured along two axes: methodology and viral species.
- Examination of the breadth of techniques and biological application requirements.
Main Results:
- Identified a huge variety in modeling approaches, hindering consensus and wider application.
- Highlighted the contributions of mathematical and computational modeling to understanding spatially structured viral dynamics.
- Provided a comprehensive overview of current techniques and their biological context.
Conclusions:
- Spatially structured models are crucial for understanding viral dynamics but face adoption challenges.
- Standardization and clear guidelines are needed for implementing these models effectively.
- Future research should focus on improving model robustness and biological utility for broader applications.
More Related Videos
07:38Open-source Single-particle Analysis for Super-resolution Microscopy with VirusMapper
Published on: April 9, 2017
10.5K
10:11Modeling The Lifecycle Of Ebola Virus Under Biosafety Level 2 Conditions With Virus-like Particles Containing Tetracistronic Minigenomes
Published on: September 27, 2014
37.0K
Related Concept Videos
01:26Size and Structure of Viral Genomes
703
Viral genomes exhibit remarkable diversity in size, structure, and composition, influencing their replication strategies and interactions with host cells. These genomes consist of either DNA or RNA and may be linear or circular. Additionally, they can be single-stranded or double-stranded, with each configuration affecting how the virus propagates within a host. RNA viruses, for instance, generally have smaller genomes than DNA viruses, a factor that contributes to their high mutation rates and...
703
00:56Viral Structure
73.8K
Viruses are extraordinarily diverse in shape and size, but they all have several structural features in common. All viruses have a core that contains a DNA- or RNA-based genome. The core is surrounded by a protective coat of proteins called the capsid. The capsid is composed of subunits called capsomeres. The capsid and genome-containing core are together known as the nucleocapsid.
73.8K
01:10Retrovirus Life Cycles
49.3K
Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the...
49.3K
00:57Viral Recombination
24.9K
Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
24.9K
00:36Viral Mutations
39.6K
A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...
39.6K
01:29Viruses with RNA Genomes
833
RNA viruses are categorized into positive-strand, negative-strand, or double-stranded groups based on their genomic structure and replication mechanisms. This classification dictates how they exploit host cellular machinery for protein synthesis and replication. Some RNA viruses also utilize reverse transcription as part of their life cycle, further diversifying their replication strategies.Positive-Strand RNA VirusesPositive-strand RNA viruses have genomes that function directly as messenger...
833