Featured Posts
Why Does Tuberculosis Make You Cough?
This post explores how M. tuberculosis produces a molecule that can activate sensory neurons involved in coughing, raising questions about how the bacterium may contribute to its own transmission.
The Protein We Couldn't Find
Follow an experiment in which MD2 repeatedly failed to appear clearly on Western blots, despite other parts of the experiment appearing to work. Discover how researchers use troubleshooting and follow-up experiments to investigate unexpected results.
Interview with Dr. Michael Shiloh: The Changing Tools of Research
Explore how infectious disease research combines microbiology, genetics, computational biology, AI, and emerging diagnostic technologies through a conversation with a practicing physician-scientist.
At The Moving Target, we track both sides of the race: how the threats are shifting and how the tools to fight them are evolving even faster.
welcome to moving target
We're a platform exploring how infectious disease and technology are evolving in lockstep, and what that means for all of us.
On one side, diseases are changing: post-COVID immune systems behave differently, viruses mutate faster than ever, and familiar illnesses feel worse than they used to. On the other side, technology is racing to keep up, with AI-driven drug discovery, mRNA breakthroughs, and real-time genomic surveillance reshaping how we fight back. The Moving Target sits right at that collision point.
Here are some things we will cover here
01
Conversations with Researchers
Hear directly from infectious disease researchers about their work, the technologies they use, and the questions driving their investigations. Explore their experiences with experimental design, scientific challenges, future research directions, and what it takes to build a career in science.
02
The Science Behind the Research
Go behind the scenes of scientific discovery, from designing experiments and optimizing protocols to interpreting unexpected results. Learn why experiments fail, how researchers troubleshoot problems, and how evidence helps scientists refine their understanding.
03
Understanding Tuberculosis
Explore how Mycobacterium tuberculosis interacts with the body, from the bacterial molecules that influence coughing to the cellular receptors involved in immune recognition. Learn how researchers investigate the biology behind one of the world's most persistent infectious diseases.
04
Emerging Technologies in Infectious Disease Research
Explore how tools such as genomic sequencing, calcium imaging, advanced microscopy, and artificial intelligence are changing what scientists can investigate. See how technology helps researchers analyze biological systems, generate new hypotheses, and identify questions for further study.
05
Inside the Immune System
Discover how cells recognize bacterial molecules and respond to potential threats. Explore innate immunity, immune signaling, and the connections between the immune system and the nervous system that scientists are working to understand.
06
The Science of Genetic Engineering
Learn how scientists use plasmids, bacterial cells, and engineered cell models to investigate proteins and cellular responses. Discover how these tools help researchers test hypotheses and study specific biological mechanisms.
07
From Discovery to Medical Applications
Discover how scientific research can contribute to new approaches in medicine. Explore mRNA technology, the development of molecular diagnostics, and the potential for faster, more targeted treatment of infectious diseases.
why is this important?
Understanding infectious disease means understanding how science is changing.
Infectious diseases continue to challenge human health, but researchers are developing new ways to investigate how pathogens work, how our bodies respond, and how technology can advance scientific discovery. The Moving Target brings readers behind the research to explore the questions, experiments, and innovations shaping our understanding of infectious disease.
About the
founder
Pathogens are moving targets - they, evade, adapt and evolve. Science itself is a moving target: experiments fail, assumptions change and every answer creates another question. After two summers conducting infectious-disease research at UT Southwestern, Anya developed a deeper interest in the questions surrounding tuberculosis, immunology, and emerging biomedical technologies.
Anya created The Moving Target to explore the questions that she has had since her 6th grade research paper on the plaque and those that kept following her outside the lab.
Anya Sabanayagam
Outside the laboratory, Anya is a volleyball and golf team captain, tutors English-language learners at a local middle school, and contributes to a diverse school community. She also pursues ceramics, 2-D art, and clothing design, interests that provide a creative counterpoint to her work in science.
