Introduction
Our laboratory studies retroviral replication at the molecular level. We are interested in the interactions that retroviruses make with their host cells to enhance replication and how cellular defences inhibit viral infection. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for developing new therapies and potentially curing disease.
Our current research focuses on the role of retroviral capsid proteins during early post-entry replication and the functions of the HIV accessory proteins Vpx and Vpr. The capsid protein is the target of the most recent antiretroviral drug, Lenacapavir, which was approved for medical use in the EU in August 2022. Although the function of Vpr is still unknown, it is thought to be involved in viral latency which is the major barrier to curing HIV.
Clinicians interested in virology, innate immunity or host-pathogen interactions are welcome to discuss possible projects, which could be defined to align with their medical perspective.
