We offer:

• Consumers: Screening to determine if you or your pet have been infected with Adv36

• Health Professionals: Testing for Adv36 infection in blood or tissues in humans and animals

• Scientists: Testing for Adv36 DNA, antibodies, or virus in humans, animals, and cell lines

• Scientists and researchers: Molecular biology techniques services (technique support) including cloning, protein expression and purification, gene expression analysis, and tissue culturing

• Companies: Testing drugs and other agents for potential antiviral activity; testing Adv36 status

About Adenovirus 36 (Adv36, Ad-36)

Obetech scientists discovered that adenovirus-36 (Adv36), a common human cold virus, causes obesity. A high percentage of experimental animals infected with Adv36 become fat, so the chances of gaining weight if infected are high. Genetic material (DNA) from the virus gets into fat cells and turns on the factors that increase both the size and number of fat cells. The effect of Adv36 DNA in fat cells is long lasting.

Screening for Adv36 Infection

Obetech has developed the technology to test humans and animals for infection with Adv36. A positive test means that an individual has been exposed to this virus and the infection may have contributed to weight gain or difficulty maintaining a healthy weight. Normal weight individuals who have a positive test are at risk for developing obesity.