Tanya Miura, Ph.D.

Summary: Infection by multiple different respiratory viruses is quite common, though how they interact within the host to alter immunity and disease is not understood. My lab is studying how infection by a mild respiratory viral pathogen can prevent severe disease by a second, lethal virus. We use cultured cells, including lung epithelial cells and macrophages, and mouse models to study immune responses and pathogenesis during respiratory viral co-infection.

Minimum Classes: Cell and molecular biology or microbiology. Any labs requiring sterile technique.

Projects: Studying how macrophage responses change when infected by multiple viruses sequentially. This project would involve virology and techniques including cell culture, quantitative PCR, ELISAs, flow cytometry, and fluorescence microscopy.

Studying how viruses prevent other viruses from infecting cells. This project would involve virology and cell biology techniques, including cell culture, fluorescence microscopy, quantitative PCR, and inhibition of cell signaling.