The QBI & Gladstone Institute Infectious Disease and Human Health Seminar Series present Michaela Gack, PhD, Scientific Director and Chair of the Cleveland Clinic at the Florida Research and Innovation Center. Dr. Gack’s research focuses on understanding how the intricate interplay between viruses and the host’s immune system impacts the outcome of viral infection and disease. Understanding host-virus interactions at a molecular level is an essential step in developing safe and effective antivirals and vaccines. A long-term goal of her research is to identify the strategies employed by viral pathogens – respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and influenza, mosquito-transmitted flaviviruses, and certain tumor viruses – to escape cell-intrinsic immune responses. On the other hand, she is identifying and functionally characterizing novel host factors that play important roles in the antiviral immune defense. Her laboratory uses an integrative approach that combines proteomics and RNAi screens with molecular, biochemical, and cell-biological approaches as well as reverse genetics systems for the generation of recombinant mutant viruses.

Accurate sensing of viral pathogens by innate immune sensor proteins is critical for mounting an effective antiviral response in both non-immune and immune cells. These sensors recognize conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns and subsequently activate signaling that results in the production of many antiviral molecules. It has become evident that RIG-I-like receptors (RLR) are important for the detection of many RNA viruses including coronaviruses and influenza viruses. As a consequence, many RNA viruses manipulate immune surveillance. In her talk, Dr. Gack's talk will present recent data revealing a novel mechanism of how IFN-mediated antiviral immunity is activated, and how viruses evade innate immune responses.