I am a virologist carrying out research to determine the mechanisms underlying rotavirus cellular tropism and the pathogenesis of rotavirus disease. Rotavirus is the major cause of infantile gastroenteritis worldwide. I am combining the expertise of my group in rotavirus biology with the power of inter-disciplinary collaborations in the areas of sugar chemistry, cell biology, structural biology and diabetes to expand understanding in these areas. Novel treatments and improvements in rotavirus va ....I am a virologist carrying out research to determine the mechanisms underlying rotavirus cellular tropism and the pathogenesis of rotavirus disease. Rotavirus is the major cause of infantile gastroenteritis worldwide. I am combining the expertise of my group in rotavirus biology with the power of inter-disciplinary collaborations in the areas of sugar chemistry, cell biology, structural biology and diabetes to expand understanding in these areas. Novel treatments and improvements in rotavirus vaccines are the long term goal of our research.Read moreRead less
Herpesviruses infect us all and cause cancer, blindness, and congenital disability. Developing vaccines requires information from both patients and experimental animals. CD4 T cells seem to suppress directly virus replication, and cells in the nose provide an important way for herpesviruses to get in. We will test whether CD4 T cells can clear nasal infection; what targets they recognize; and how they act. Thus we can establish whether CD4 T cell-directed vaccines might protect against disease.