Education

PhD

Research focus

1. Replication of negative strand RNA viruses: The nucleocapsid protein of negative strand RNA viruses encapsidates the viral genome and generates the ribonucleocapsids that are used as templates by the RdRp during transcription and replication of the viral genome. I demonstrated for the first time that Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) nucleocapsid protein has two RNA binding sites in the stalk and head domains. I showed that double strand panhandle structure formed by the vRNA termini, and single strand RNA, bind to the RNA binding sites in the stalk and head domains, respectively. I demonstrated that panhandle binding site located in the stalk domain plays a key role in the replication of viral RNA genome in conjunction with RdRp. I also showed that nucleocapsid protein of hantavirus, another negative strand RNA virus, has distinct 5’ cap and RNA binding sites that play key roles in the hantavirus replication. I showed for the first time that hantavirus RdRp requires a host cell factor for cap snatching. The host cell factor is required for specific cleavage of the long capped RNA fragments at a “G” residue located 10-14 nucleotides downstream of the 5’ cap. The long capped RNA fragments are rescued from degradation by the nucleocapsid protein. After specific cleavage, the short RNA molecules are used as primers by the RdRp to initiate transcription/replication of the viral genome.
2. Infectious Disease Diagnostics: The early detection of infectious pathogens determines the outcome of an infectious disease. The overall goal of my research program is to develop highly sensitive and cost effective diagnostic tools for the rapid detection of diagnostic markers during the early stages of infectious disease. My research team at Applied BioCode Inc. focused on developing nucleic acid based multiplex diagnostic technology that can simultaneously detect numerous pathogens from a single patient sample. I supervised the overall research program from initial concept, feasibility, verification, validation studies, clinical trials to the final delivery of the 510k IVD product. I developed diagnostic assays that are used in diagnostic facilities nationwide with FDA approval

Publications