Dr. Arinjay Banerjee (PhD), a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) and an adjunct professor in USask’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine,
Dr. Arinjay Banerjee (PhD), a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) and an adjunct professor in USask’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine,

Signature Series research podcast: What medicine can learn from bats with Dr. Arinjay Banerjee (PhD)

The small, winged, furry creatures may hold the key to tremendous medical breakthroughs

By Matt Olson, Research Profile and Impact

Everyone is familiar with bats — yet most people probably don't think of bats as the key to vaccine development or living a long life.  

But Dr. Arinjay Banerjee (PhD), a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) and an adjunct professor in USask’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine, is working to prove that bats could hold the key to huge medical advancements.  

According to Banerjee, bats have a powerful and more targeted immune system that allows them to battle viruses and bacteria in a different — and potentially more effective —way than a human immune system.  

Banerjee, who is also a co-lead of the One Health Signature Area of Research at USask, specializes in antiviral and vaccine development, and how viruses make us sick.  

His lab is exploring how bats battle illness and how we might learn from them for human medicines.  

Listen to this week's episode of the USask Signature Series Podcast to learn more!