Dr Ron Fouchier, from the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, said his team had introduced a number of genetic variations - around five - which had enabled the virus to pass between ferrets - the best animal model we have for testing whether the virus will infect humans.

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It includes DeCode Genetics (nasdaq: DCGN - news - people), the company that made news with its plan to use the genealogy of the people of Iceland as a tool for genetic research, and Exelixis (nasdaq: EXEL - news - people), which uses model systems like fruit flies to figure out what genes do in human beings.

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