The packaging of different cargo into enveloped viral nanoparticles.

Viral nanoparticles used for biomedical applications must be able to discriminate between tumor or virus-infected host cells and healthy host cells. In addition, viral nanoparticles must have the flexibility to incorporate a wide range of cargo, from inorganic metals to mRNAs to small molecules. Alphaviruses are a family of enveloped viruses for which some species are intrinsically capable of systemic tumor targeting. Alphavirus virus-like particles, or viral nanoparticles, can be generated from in vitro self-assembled core-like particles using nonviral nucleic acid. In this work, we expand on the types of cargo that can be incorporated into alphavirus core-like particles and the molecular requirements for packaging this cargo. We demonstrate that different core-like particle templates can be further enveloped to form viral nanoparticles that are capable of cell entry. We propose that alphaviruses can be selectively modified to create viral nanoparticles for biomedical applications and basic research.

Patient-Centered, Case-Based Education in Radiology: an Interactive Module Following a Patient Through Their Disease Course from an Imaging Perspective.

During typical radiology resident conferences, faculty presents images of a disease at a single juncture followed by relevant teaching points; however, the current generation of learners poses unique challenges given different learning preferences. We thus sought to demonstrate the benefits of a novel interactive case-based learning method following a patient through their disease. Twenty-four trainees completed an interactive glioblastoma module along with pre- and post-surveys. Findings revealed a significant increase of average scores for all knowledge-based questions and confidence levels related to glioblastoma and its treatment. Response was overwhelmingly positive with most considering this teaching method superior to traditional conferences. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-021-01441-5.