Name the Virus
A$12,925
of $10,000 targetyrs ago
Successful on 9th Dec 2013 at 9:00AM.
We are medical researchers and we are interested in the brain.
There are an almost never ending list of conditions and diseases which affect us as humans and occur in the brain - anxiety, depression, eating and sleeping disorders, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and many, many more.
In order to help us, and other researchers, investigate what causes these diseases/conditions we create special types of non-infectious, non-disease causing viruses called viral vectors. These viral vectors can enter cells and change the way they behave; such as making those cells more or less active, or producing more or less of a specific protein. The information researchers can gain from the use of these viral vectors will allow us to understand how the brain works and what happens when things go wrong. Hopefully this information will contribute to better treatments, or preventive measure, for a wide variety of diseases/conditions of the brain.
There are an almost never ending list of conditions and diseases which affect us as humans and occur in the brain - anxiety, depression, eating and sleeping disorders, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and many, many more.
In order to help us, and other researchers, investigate what causes these diseases/conditions we create special types of non-infectious, non-disease causing viruses called viral vectors. These viral vectors can enter cells and change the way they behave; such as making those cells more or less active, or producing more or less of a specific protein. The information researchers can gain from the use of these viral vectors will allow us to understand how the brain works and what happens when things go wrong. Hopefully this information will contribute to better treatments, or preventive measure, for a wide variety of diseases/conditions of the brain.
The Challenges
The aim of this project is to get enough funds to kick start the creation and production of four new viral vectors. Based on the past five years experience we have with creating and producing these viral vectors we have little doubt we will be able to achieve our goal of having four new innovative viral vectors ready to go in the next 6 - 12 months
A personal thank you on both our Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/namevirus) and our twitter (@NametheVirus1) accounts and a chance to submit a name for a viral vector in the Comments section - most popular will be used! Check Twitter , Comments and Facebook for daily trending virus names! See our example of the suggested name of "Noodles"
21 chosen
Est. delivery is Oct 13
A postcard which will include an image(s) of our viral vectors in cells (see similar images on the Pozible site and our Twitter and Facebook account). On the reverse side will include how to follow the progress of the project. You are welcome to keep it (we suggest fridges are an ideal display area!) or to mail it through to someone who you think might be interested in the project
24 chosen
Est. delivery is Oct 13
For this $100 pledge we will design a viral vector exclusively for you. You can name it and even decide what gene you want expressed - and don't be confined by reality. Check out our Superman Virus which expresses the gene "Awesome". We will send an electronic version for you to use as you wish - again try and be creative. You will also get one of the Viral Vector Image postcards
12 chosen
Est. delivery is Dec 13
This reward will allow each person to visit The Florey Institute in Parkville and take a tour which will include the "Viral Facility" where the viral vectors are produced. After the tour there will a be a meal of the 5th Floor cooked by one of the researchers from the Jamie Oliver cookbook "Jamie's America"! See picture for one possibility
3 chosen / 9 available
Est. delivery is Jan 14
This reward will mean that you will get a personal thank you on the first scientific paper we publish which uses one of these new viral vectors. You will also receive a signed copy of that paper. We can't tell you exactly when this will happen because unfortunately cutting edge science doesn't follow a strict schedule
0 chosen / 10 available
Est. delivery is Oct 15
You get to "Name the Virus"! As each viral vector is created it will be named. The Name must be 10 letters or less and be socially acceptable. E.g. If the name "noodles" was chosen the viral vector would be called "pNoodles" and this name will appear in any publications or presentations in which it is used. Each rewardee will be sent a copy of the "map" of the viral vector they named
3 chosen
Est. delivery is Oct 13