Virology

In recent years there has been an emergence of new viruses and new strains of previously known viruses that threaten global health. BCM has an exceptionally strong group of faculty who study medically important human viruses such as rotavirus, norovirus, SARS, herpes virus, adenovirus and Influenza viruses. CPSB students apply cutting-edge structural techniques such as cryo-EM, cryo-tomography, and X-ray crystallography together with other biophysical techniques to define the structure of intact viruses and virus-encoded enzymes to provide a mechanistic basis for how these viruses recognize cellular receptors for entry, how they replicate inside the host cell, and how they control the antiviral host immune response to cause disease. Such studies will form a rational basis for discovering new drugs and developing vaccines to prevent and treat the diseases caused by these viruses. BCM resources that support this research include the X-ray, Cryo-EM and NMR cores as well as the Center for Drug Discovery.