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Molecular Virology Laboratory
Leader: Dr M Lobigs
E: Mario.Lobigs@anu.edu.au
Flaviviruses are small, enveloped RNA viruses that are transmitted
by the bite of a mosquito or tick to the vertebrate host. The virus family
includes some of the most important viral pathogens for humans (e.g. dengue,
yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile, and Murray Valley encephalitis
viruses) and there is an urgent need for new or improved prophylactic
and therapeutic agents against flaviviruses.
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From left to right: Leah Leang, Paivi Lobigs,
Mario Lobigs, Megan Pavy and Eva Lee. |
The Molecular Virology Laboratory uses a combination of
recombinant DNA, virological, molecular cell biological, and immunological
approaches to study flavivirus assembly, replication, pathogenesis, and
immune responses against flaviviral infections. Critical for our research
is the availability in our laboratory of full-length cDNA clones of Murray
Valley encephalitis, yellow fever, and dengue viruses which allow the transcription,
in vitro, of infectious viral RNA. These cDNA clones make possible the targeted
mutagenesis of the viral genomes and, in turn, phenotypic studies of mutant
viruses for structure/function analyses in cell culture and mouse models
of flaviviral disease. |
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