Retroviruses: a broad view of SARS-CoV-2 and its relatives, with a narrative essay on the current state of biomedical sciences

Abstract

The actual "pandemic" times, beside their burden of sorrow in terms of both victims, destruction of societal links and economic consequences, are an unprecedented occasion to give a closer look to the status of biomedical research. Beside the undoubted technological advances, the general impression is alarming: the fragmentation of science culture prevents any wise synthesis of the many aspects involved in a global phenomenon as SARS-CoV-2 epidemics. Here we try to acquire a "detached" view to some evolutionary and physiological aspects of the human-virus interaction highlighting the need to revitalize science by a strong departure from ultra-specialization toward a real integration of different fields of investigation.