The use of such viruses may someday replace insecticides, which kill insects but also may harm plants as well as other animals. Viruses are such simple organisms that scientists can easily study them to gain more knowledge about life itself. Research on bacteriophages has helped biologists understand genes, DNA, and other basic cell structures. Future research may provide further knowledge of how cells function and reproduce. Development of vaccines and other drugs.
Scientists produce vaccines from either dead or live viruses.
Those used in dead-virus vaccines are killed by chemicals and injected into the body. They cause the body to produce antibodies and other substances that resist viruses. For live-virus vaccines, virologists select very mild forms of living viruses that stimulate the body's immune system but cause no serious harm. This technique, called gene-splicing or recombinant DNA, is also used to make new types of virus vaccines and drugs. How to cite this article.