Donald Bender interview for The Survivors of the Holocaust Oral History Project

On July 11th, 1984 Julie Orenstein interviewed Donald Bender about his life in before, during, and after World War II. In this interview Bender recounts his childhood in a city formerly known as Wappertal, his parents work and religious standing, and his early education. Bender also spoke about encountering anti-semitism, coming to the United States, being drafted to fight in World War II, coming back to work in Dayton, his family, and more

CAF01 Potentiates Immune Responses and Efficacy of an Inactivated Influenza Vaccine in Ferrets

Trivalent inactivated vaccines (TIV) against influenza are given to 350 million people every year. Most of these are non-adjuvanted vaccines whose immunogenicity and protective efficacy are considered suboptimal. Commercially available non-adjuvanted TIV are known to elicit mainly a humoral immune response, whereas the induction of cell-mediated immune responses is negligible. Recently, a cationic liposomal adjuvant (dimethyldioctadecylammonium/trehalose 6,6′-dibehenate, CAF01) was developed. CAF01 has proven to enhance both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to a number of different experimental vaccine candidates. In this study, we compared the immune responses in ferrets to a commercially available TIV with the responses to the same vaccine mixed with the CAF01 adjuvant. Two recently circulating H1N1 viruses were used as challenge to test the vaccine efficacy. CAF01 improved the immunogenicity of the vaccine, with increased influenza-specific IgA and IgG levels. Additionally, CAF01 promoted cellular-mediated immunity as indicated by interferon-gamma expressing lymphocytes, measured by flow cytometry. CAF01 also enhanced the protection conferred by the vaccine by reducing the viral load measured in nasal washes by RT-PCR. Finally, CAF01 allowed for dose-reduction and led to higher levels of protection compared to TIV adjuvanted with a squalene emulsion. The data obtained in this human-relevant challenge model supports the potential of CAF01 in future influenza vaccines

Virology under the microscope—a call for rational discourse

Viruses have brought humanity many challenges: respiratory infection, cancer, neurological impairment and immunosuppression to name a few. Virology research over the last 60+ years has responded to reduce this disease burden with vaccines and antivirals. Despite this long history, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented attention to the field of virology. Some of this attention is focused on concern about the safe conduct of research with human pathogens. A small but vocal group of individuals has seized upon these concerns – conflating legitimate questions about safely conducting virus-related research with uncertainties over the origins of SARS-CoV-2. The result has fueled public confusion and, in many instances, ill-informed condemnation of virology. With this article, we seek to promote a return to rational discourse. We explain the use of gain-of-function approaches in science, discuss the possible origins of SARS-CoV-2 and outline current regulatory structures that provide oversight for virological research in the United States. By offering our expertise, we – a broad group of working virologists – seek to aid policy makers in navigating these controversial issues. Balanced, evidence-based discourse is essential to addressing public concern while maintaining and expanding much-needed research in virology

Helen Abramovitz interview for The Survivors of the Holocaust Oral History Project

On July 30th, 1984 Julie Orenstein interviewed Helen Hoffman Abramovitz about her family and life growing up in Czechoslovakia prior to World War II and her life after the war in the United States. On side one Helen discussed her early life and schooling in a variety of locations in the Sudetenland and Prague. Of note, she mentions that she feared for her life everyday she lived in Sudetenland. In addition to her experiences growing up in Czechoslovakia, Helen discussed the varying jobs of her parents and their training. On side two Helen discusses her current life in the United States and her encounter with antisemitism in her work

Esther Lawner interview for The Survivors of the Holocaust Oral History Project

Julie Orenstein interviewed Esther Lawner about her life during and after World War II. In her interview Lawner discussed her early life, her parents\u27 background and education, and her family fleeing Poland for Russia. Lawner also recounts her early schooling in a Polish school in Russia and her eventual return to Poland after the war. Towards the end of her interview Lawner explains how she and her family arrived in the United States and eventually Dayto

John Farnbacher interview for The Survivors of the Holocaust Oral History Project

On August 7th, 1984, Julie Orenstein interviewed John Farnbacher about his life before, during, and after World War II. In his interview Farnbacher details his early childhood and education in Augsburg, Bavaria, his parents education and careers, and other family history. Farnbacher also discusses how his family came to Dayton as well as how his background in engineering and language skills helped him get a job at Wright Patterson Air Force Base during the war

Lee Fishman interview for The Survivors of the Holocaust Oral History Project

On August 15th, 1984, Julie Orenstein interviewed Lee Fishman about her life before, during, and after World War II. In her interview Fishman describes her early childhood in Poland, her parents careers and education, and their religious life there. She later recounts the Germans invading her hometown and being forced to live in a ghetto and how her family eventually escaped to hide in a nearby forest. They remained in the forest for two years, until the Russians retook the town. Mrs. Fishman later recounts how she and her husband traveled from their home in Poland to Germany and later Dayton

Carmen Appel interview for The Survivors of the Holocaust Oral History Project

Julie Orenstein interviewed Carmen Appel about her family and life in Frankfurt and Zurich and her later life in the United States. One side one of the interview tape Carmen details her father’s varied career choices including serving as in an anti-aircraft detachment in Belgium. She discusses the family decision to move to Zurich at the urging of her paternal uncle and her schooling there. Carmen also chats about life after returning to Frankfurt, her marriage, and her eventual departure from Germany in 1938 a day before Kristallnacht happened. On side two of the tape Carmen talks about getting her uncle out of Germany with the aid of a businessman in London. She also details her early jobs in New York after arriving in the United States as well as how she arrived in Dayton and her life with her husband there

Renate Harlan interview for The Survivors of the Holocaust Oral History Project

On August 13th, 1984 Julie Orenstein interviewed Renate Harlan about her life before, during, and after World War II. In her interview Harlan discusses her family history, her childhood in Cologne, and her early education. Harlan also recounts her family fleeing Germany for England after her father was arrested. She also details how her family lived in England and eventually how she and her family came to Ohio