|
An ideal academic research laboratory brings investigators together to learn, to perform experiments, to discuss results, and to ultimately provide answers to questions on the workings of nature. The investigators in our laboratory include postdoctoral associates, graduate students, and research technicians, all from novel and interesting backgrounds, all providing unique contributions to projects aimed at discovering the functions of viruses. We all share an enthusiasm for learning more about viruses and their host environments. We especially value our common interests, and our daily communications move us into many enriching, respectful, professional friendships. It is always a
privilege to be part of the collegial scientific enterprise.
Our specific focus is on the coronaviruses. Coronaviruses are enveloped, RNA-containing agents that are endemic in wild and domesticated animals, transmitting infrequently to humans to cause diseases of varying severity. The recent severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic, caused by SARS-coronavirus, exemplifies the potential pathogenicity of these agents. Once encountered, coronaviruses generally enter into the respiratory and gastrointestinal epithelia, replicate vigorously and with concomitant acute cytopathology, and then assemble into progeny that escape to infect others. Our research focuses on the molecular biology of coronavirus infections, with goals to advance our understanding of virus-cell entry, virus RNA replication, and progeny virus assembly.
Experiments are performed in collaboration with investigators studying coronavirus infections in the context of established experimental animal model systems.
The ultimate objectives are to discern mechanisms of coronavirus infection and use these findings toward improving our understanding of the epidemiology and pathogenesis of these and other virus infections. |
