Tiny genomes. Big questions.

Viruses cannot afford to waste space, yet they preserve noncoding RNA elements in their compact genomes. We study why these elements matter and how viruses use RNA regulatory pathways to control gene expression, shape host cell identity, and promote infection and persistence.
We are especially interested in how viral noncoding RNAs manipulate post-transcriptional gene regulation through microRNAs and RNA-binding proteins.

Our lab combines molecular virology, RNA biology, biochemistry, genomics, and bioinformatics.