Engineering researchers at the UK's University of Warwick have created a large 3D model of the bluetongue virus. The model will improve scientific understanding of the virus, they say, and could help in the development of new antiviral drugs. 
The midge (pictured) spreads the bluetongue virus. The 3D model of the virus, based on data provided by the UK's IAH and Oxford University, could improve scientific understanding of the virus
Photo: Institute of Animal Health
The model is based on data provided by the UK's Institute of Animal Health (IAH) at Pirbright and Oxford University.
Professor Peter Mertens, head of the Arbovirus Research Group at the IAH, said: "Bluetongue represents the worst threat to agriculture this country has seen for 20 years. In its first year in Belgium it wiped out 100 sheep, but in its second year it wiped out 30,000. In Britain we have 34 million sheep – we could be looking at losing up to 20% of that population.
"The model will help us to understand how the molecules and proteins interact with one another and this could help us to develop new anti-viral drugs. Having a physical model that you can pick up and peer at will make a huge difference."
"Research collaboration between engineers and biologists is rare, although we have worked with Oxford and the IAH before," said Dr Greg Gibbons, who led the rapid prototyping team. "The physical model we've created is based on the same technology we use to quickly and cheaply create models of, for example, car parts, used by manufacturers to develop designs and test products before going into full-scale production."
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