The QBI & Gladstone Institute Infectious Disease and Human Health Seminar Series presents Silke Stertz, an Associate Professor in the Institute of Medical Virology at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. Silke Stertz studied biology in Freiburg, Germany, where she stayed on to obtain her PhD in the lab of Prof. Otto Haller. She then trained as postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Prof. Peter Palese at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, U.S.. Since 2011, she has led her own research group at the Institute of Medical Virology (University of Zurich), where she was promoted to Associate Professor in 2019. Her work focuses on influenza virus-host cell interactions, particularly at the stage of viral entry.

Despite the availability of vaccines and antivirals, influenza viruses continue to pose a major threat to human health and the economy. In addition to seasonal epidemics, influenza viruses can also cause pandemic outbreaks as a result of zoonotic transmission events. Research in Stertz's laboratory focuses on the entry of influenza viruses into host cells, as entry plays a key role in zoonotic transmission. They are particularly interested in the discovery and characterization of novel entry receptors, which has recently led to the identification of MHC class II complexes as receptors for bat influenza viruses. In her talk, she will discuss their latest findings on MHC class II complexes as receptors for human and avian influenza viruses and possible implications for zoonotic transmission.

Host: Jennifer Hayashi

Talk Title: MHC class II as novel entry receptor of influenza A viruses