Viral Mechanisms of Metabolic Reprogramming

Viruses depend on cellular metabolic resources to supply the energy and biochemical building blocks necessary for their rapid replication. We find that the cell’s metabolic resources represent a contested host-pathogen interaction that can determine the outcome of infection. We have identified several virally-induced metabolic activities that are essential for productive infection. A major goal of our laboratory is to elucidate the mechanisms through which viruses modulate cellular metabolism to support infection, and thereby identify potential therapeutic targets to block virally-associated disease.  Towards that end, we couple molecular genetics with classical biochemical, and LC-MS/MS-based metabolomic analyses to probe how viral infection alters metabolic regulatory pathways as part of the pathogenic process.

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