Our laboratory has broadly interests on the molecular characterization of emerging negative strand RNA viruses with focuses on discovering novel viral virulence signatures and molecular viral-host interactions. Currently, we use influenza viruses as the primary model system.
Influenza virus, family Orthomyxoviridae, is a negative-strand RNA virus with 8 segments and is grouped by its antigenic properties as type A, B or C. Influenza virus is a major human respiratory pathogen. However, only types A and B, are responsible for seasonal epidemics resulting in approximately 35,000 (US) and 500,000 (worldwide) deaths annually, while type C causes mild respiratory illness. In addition, influenza A virus can cause pandemics, which occurs every 10-50 years. Due to the lack of pre-existing immunity in humans, pandemic cases usually increase mortality and severity of the infection. For example, during 1918-1919 influenza pandemic, about one third of the world's population (or ≈500 million persons) were infected and had clinically apparent illnesses.
We combine molecular, biochemical, and imaging techniques to understand how viruses replicate and to explore virus-host interactions. We also have interests, driven by our research goals, in developing methods for manipulating genomes of other emerging viruses.
