Research
My laboratory is interested in the anti-viral innate immune response and how it is activated and deactivated during infection as well as subverted by pathogens. We have a special interest in, and pay particular attention to, emerging fields such as the ubiquitin system and nucleic acid sensing.
We believe that our ability to therapeutically manipulate host defensive mechanisms depends on a comprehensive understanding of how these mechanisms operate and respond to pathogen infection.
We use large DNA viruses like poxviruses and herpesviruses as experimental models and take an integrated approach to study virus-host interactions at the genetic, biochemical, immunological, and pathological level.
We aim to decipher the complex and intertwined relationship between viruses and the host immune system, with the aim of exploiting this knowledge for the development of compounds blocking viral propagation (antivirals) or enhancing / taming our immune system (immunomodulators) as well as for a better design of vaccines.
