Hepatitis C virus (HCV), an enveloped positive-sense RNA virus, has emerged as one of the primary causes of chronic liver disease. Globally, over 170 million individuals are chronically infected with HCV, yet the current therapy is ineffective in many HCV carriers.

The work in my laboratory combines genetic and biochemical approaches to define the molecular mechanisms of HCV replication and the determinants of the virus-host interaction. Specifically, we are characterizing interactions among the HCV non-structural proteins that are essential for membrane-associated HCV RNA replication and identifying host factors critical for viral replication. Our other research efforts focus on defining the roles of essential, yet poorly characterized, HCV proteins in RNA replication and virion assembly. For instance, we have identified a role for the HCV protein NS4B in maintaining HCV RNA synthesis and identified a novel genetic interaction between NS4B and the HCV protease/helicase (NS3) important for productive RNA replication.

 

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