Immunity and Viromics

We are interested in understanding how viruses evade the host immune response. We are characterizing herpesvirus and poxvirus proteins that interact with interferons, cytokines or chemokines, and modulate their activity. The contribution of viral cytokine receptors to pathogenesis is being addressed in mouse models of infection. Understanding viral immune modulatory activities, which have been optimized for millions of years of virus-host evolution, may provide insights into the function of cytokines and help us to identify new therapeutic approaches to treat human inflammatory diseases. A second line of research is the discovery of new viruses in natural ecosystems. Using next generation sequencing methodologies we have characterized at the genetic level, for the first time, complex viral communities from lakes in Antarctica and the Arctic. We are expanding these studies to identify at the genetic level microorganisms, including viruses, present in the air (airbiota).