A newly discovered virus, which has the potential to benefit human health, has been named after a village in Norfolk.
The "Colneyvirus", which was recently discovered at the Institute of Food research (IFR), has the potential to damage the cells found in C.Diff.
Viruses which attack bacteria are called bacteriophages.
%image(14432816, type="article-full", alt="Quadrum Institute Norwich NHS where scientists worked on a vaccine for Coronavirus (photo: Brittany Woodman)")
The phage was officially recognised by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses and the committee decided to name the new genus after the IFR 's address on Colney Lane on the Norwich Research Park.
The research facility has since transitioned into the Quadram Institute and moved to a new building, also within the civil parish of Colney.
%image(14432817, type="article-full", alt="Dr Evelien Adriaenssens who named the "Colneyvirus" after the village in which it was discovered.")
Dr Evelien Adriaenssens, chair of the Bacterial Viruses Subcommittee, said: “We always look to honour people, places or institutes involved in the first description of a new group of phages.”
"It feels fitting to name the genus after Colney, where so much excellent science is performed."
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