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Research Interests

Project |01

 

Project |01 HCMV Diversity
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Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the leading cause of birth defects by an infectious agent, and can lead to fetal death as well as severe growth and mental retardation in newborns. There have been many successes in preventing HCMV infection and treating HCMV disease, but ultimately thousands of newborns are infected each year. During my postdoc work, we've attempted a new approach to understanding this virus. We've used population genetics to study HCMV in vivo populations and have developed new tools and insights into the variability of this virus in human hosts and how this virus crosses the placenta and disseminates in the developing fetus.

Project |02 Influenza host adaptation
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Influenza A virus (IAV) is at the forefront of public consciousness, not only for the annual effects from seasonal infections but also because of the looming threat of pandemics caused by avian-to-human or swine-to-human zoonotic infections. Adding to the threat is the fact that many IAV strains are resistant or quickly develop resistance to our current antivirals. We have tried to better understand how this virus can adapt to these very different host environments and as well antivirals.

Project |02

 

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