Abstract:
Viruses are the smallest self-replicating organisms. Even though individually viruses are rather simple, as a group they are exceptionally diverse in both replication strategies and structures. Many viruses are importanthumanpathogens.Weuse X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, and molecular biology to study the lifecycle of human viruses. We investigate macromolecular interactions associated withvirus cell entry, genome replication, assembly, and maturation. Viruses are simple enough that we can aspire tounderstand their biology at a molecular level. Our efforts are directed towards using structural information for the development of treatments for human and animal diseases.
