Viral Codon Usage: Comparative Analysis of Host-Virus Interactions in Chikungunya Infection
Explore host-specific responses to arboviruses by comparing human and mosquito cell interactions with chikungunya virus. Identify molecular pathways driving pathogenic versus tolerant outcomes and contribute to breaking viral transmission cycles.
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Project Description
Project Overview
This PhD explores how arboviruses such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya (CHIKV) produce vastly different outcomes in vertebrate hosts and mosquito vectors. CHIKV causes severe disease in humans but remains non-pathogenic in mosquitoes. The project aims to decipher molecular mechanisms underpinning these contrasting outcomes through comparative transcriptomic and translatomic profiling of infected human versus mosquito cells.
What You Will Do
The candidate will perform gene expression and translation analyses during CHIKV infection to map host-virus interactions. They will identify conserved pathways and host-specific mechanisms, focusing on alternative splicing and translational changes that drive pathogenic versus tolerant responses. Interdisciplinary training includes placements at GIMM for transcriptomic software/statistical methods, CNRS for computational modeling, and UCD for comparative bat immune biology studies.
Expected Outcomes
The project will generate a comprehensive comparative map detailing CHIKV-induced gene expression, splicing, and translation alterations in human and mosquito cells. Findings will clarify why CHIKV is pathogenic in humans but not mosquitoes, revealing targets for species-specific interventions to disrupt viral transmission.
Why This Matters
Understanding host-specific virus responses is vital to controlling arboviruses that threaten global health. Insights into molecular bases of viral tolerance in mosquitoes may inspire novel approaches to curtail spread of diseases impacting over 80% of populations in risk areas.
Entry Requirements
How to Apply
Eligibility
Supervisor Profile
Prof Juana María Díez Antón is an expert in virus-host molecular interactions, with extensive experience in RNA virus biology and antiviral mechanisms. Her research focuses on viral replication, antigenic diversification, and host protein roles in viral infection. She has a strong publication record, contributing to fundamental understanding of virus evolution and persistence.