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Research in the Wang Lab focuses on understanding the pathogenesis and molecular biology of viruses that cause chronic human infections, in particular, human immunodeficiency virus and Hepatitis C virus (HCV).  We are interested in understanding the mechanisms by which viruses evade host immune responses and antiviral drug selective pressures, using a combination of methods including high throughput next-generation sequencing, bioinformatics, as well as traditional methods of molecular biology and virology.  As a deeper understanding of viral population dynamics and evolution is critical to many aspects of HIV and HCV treatment and prevention, the lab studies the genomic consequences of HIV and HCV infection in patients in the face of antiviral pressure, with the dual goal of understanding mechanisms and developing strategies for antiviral therapy.

More recently, our laboratory has embarked on a new area of investigation to understand the role of indigenous microbial communities in human infections. Thus, our current research falls within the general themes of host-pathogen interactions, and is divided into two major areas: (1) Molecular studies of HCV pathogenesis and drug resistance; and (2) Ecology of indigenous microbial communities associated with human infections.  We currently focus on microbial ecology of Clostridium difficile infection, chronic periodontitis in HIV infection, and microbial ecology in febrile neutropenia. Our current projects in the laboratory include: