Wang Lab
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:
- 1. Molecular studies of HCV pathogenesis and drug resistance.
- 2. Molecular ecology of gut microbiota in C. difficile infection.
- 3. Human oral microbiome in periodontal disease and HIV Infection.
- 4. Microbial ecology and pathogenesis of febrile neutropenia.
- 5. Comparative genomics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.