Although virus diseases have been one of mankind’s greatest afflictions and causes of death, human ingenuity and the very nature of viruses has afforded a means of combating and even totally eliminating some of these dreaded diseases.　 Beginning with the astute observations of Edward Jenner to overcome smallpox and progressing with contributions from Pasteur, Theiler, Salk and Sabin the use of vaccines has made some of the most feared of diseases virtually unknown today.　 Modern molecular biology techniques have afforded the means to more rapidly respond to other, sometimes less common but equally dangerous, viral agents. Dr. Prevec, who has been involved in the development of a wildlife rabies vaccine and a potential SARS vaccine, will describe some of the background and modern techniques that have made these advances possible.