Ebola Expert Disappeared without Trace

Der Spiegel ^ | Nov. 27, 2001

[Mitchell]

Most of this machine translation from the German is easy to read. If anybody can post a better translation of some of the awkward spots, please do.

I keep seeing Wiley characterized in the media as an ebola expert, but I'm not sure that that's really true. I have the impression that he does basic reseach in biology, a small part of which happened to have involved ebola.

[wideawake]

The renowned American daily paper lets besides Gregory Verdine to word come,

The famous American daily reached Gregory Verdine for comment.

[wideawake]

Ermittler = 'Investigator'

[wideawake]

at the vortag = 'the previous day'

[meridia]

Say, does anyone have a link to an online photograph of Wiley?

[Mitchell]

Say, does anyone have a link to an online photograph of Wiley?

Here's the photograph of Wiley that accompanied the article from Der Spiegel:

I think I might have seen one or two other photos when I went to his web site a few days go.

[Diogenesis]

Researchers who study receptors of viruses as Ebola are experts on that virus.

[meridia]

Thank you for the photographs.

I'm deeply concerned about this disappearance...

[t-shirt]

See this thread as well

Behind In The Biowar (Antrax Expert Disappeance Mystery, Death of Another Top Expert,etc)

[tallhappy]

I keep seeing Wiley characterized in the media as an ebola expert, but I'm not sure that that's really true. I have the impression that he does basic reseach in biology, a small part of which happened to have involved ebola.

Yes. It is incredibly exasperating.

He is an expert in protein structure. He is one of the formeost, if not the world's foremost, structural biologist. He determines the structures of proteins which is essentially doing physics on biological samples.

He has determined the structures of so many proteins from different species and systems including the immune system, flu virus, a protein from ebola I guess as well.

But the way he is presented as some sort of expert microbiologist who would have bio-weapon wizardry or secret knowledge is so off the mark it is astounding.

[Mitchell]

Researchers who study receptors of viruses as Ebola are experts on that virus.

True. I guess from what I've read I would have described him as an expert on the mechanics of the initial stages of viral infection in humans. He specializes in how virus proteins initiate an infection and how human proteins produce an immune response.

I believe he has studied this process (the first stages in viral infections) in a number of different viruses (including, I think, Ebola). To me, this is different from saying that he is a specialist in Ebola, which implies a study of the full course of that disease specifically.

I'm not an expert in this field, though, so I could easily be misjudging the nature of his research.

[ChemistCat]

Normally when I see one of these articles translated by machine, I'm strongly tempted to run it through a few more languages and back to English again. Somehow, I just don't feel like it with this one. I understand that this man was very devoted to his students and to his research, and he had a lot to live for and no reason to abandon his wife, his life, and his children. I've known too many men and women like Dr. Wiley to buy the suicide story for a moment. This is a kidnapping.

Even if Dr. Wiley hasn't worked directly with bioterrorism, I guarantee you he knows how to set up to manufacture any virus and put together distribution systems. Any biochemist could do it; I'm certain of that now. I couldn't do it with 1/2 of a semester of biochem behind me, but if I had much more, I think I could. I hope that his family is being watched over very closely; I hope he doesn't think they're in danger. I wish I could tell him, RESIST with all your might. I hope he has what it takes to follow in the wake of the Hero Flight.

[AMDG&BVMH]

Milzbrand: spleen arson [anthrax?]

Yes, Milzbrand = anthrax

[tallhappy]

You are right. Diogenesis is off the mark.

[butter pecan fan]

This is the interesting article, and the interesting situation.

I concur that it can not have simply disappeared itself. Something here smells like the Danish fish.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks for the link, T. Quite a case.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up! IMHO, if this guy were kidnapped by terrorists, it would be to help them make their WMDs more lethal. But that wouldn't make sense, because to get him to cooperate on something like that, I'd expect them to kidnap his wife or kids. Very strange...

[abigkahuna]

Something comes to mind thinking about this episode. A number of years ago, (early-mid 80s) I remember hearing about a book that got banned in Britan that out layed the theory that the government there was kidnapping various scientists to work on whatever project.

Now my mind is real fuzzy here, the book could have been fictionalized truth, or true or fiction. It may or may not have been banned. (This memory comes from listening to a talk show for a few minutes one afternoon 15-20 years ago)

It seems also that I have heard somewhere during those years that a rash of scientists either here in the US or in Britian were being kidnapped, or just disappeared with no trace....

Anyone remember such a scenario?

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[ChemistCat]

That's a nightmare to think of. I kinda doubt it, since Uncle can probably get whomever it wants to work for it without orphaning little kids. But it is a scary idea.