We are dedicated to uncovering how emerging mosquito-borne viruses cause long-term disease that continues well after the initial infection.
Our work centers on alphaviruses—a group of globally circulating mosquito-borne viruses with epidemic and pandemic potential.

We ask two big questions:

• Why do some infections leave a lasting mark? Many people recover from an alphavirus infection, but for others, the virus triggers long-term health problems. We are especially interested in how these infections damage the heart and blood vessels, and whether the virus “lingering” in the body helps drive these chronic effects.

• How do viruses manage to persist? Alphaviruses can persist in both their mosquito vectors and in the mammalian host—but by very different mechanisms. We aim to uncover the viral and host factors that make this possible.

By answering these questions, our goal is to generate knowledge that will guide the development of better ways to prevent and treat the diseases caused by these viruses—ultimately helping protect global health.