Analysing the interactions of arthropod-borne viruses with their arthropod host. (360G-Wellcome-079699_Z_06_Z)

Emerging and re-emerging diseases, many of which are arthropod-borne viruses (or arboviruses), remain a major threat to public health. These viruses can cause serious, sometimes deadly, illness, with symptoms ranging from fever, arthritis to encephalitis and hemorrhagic fever. While our understanding of the mammalian immune response is very detailed, we still only have limited knowledge as to how the arthropod vector deals with virus infection. The arthropod immune system has ways of dealing with bacteria and parasites, and the signalling pathways are well characterised for the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. From what we know so far from disease carrying mosquitoes, it is safe to assume that their signalling mechanisms are very similar. The goals of this project are to understand how arthropod-borne viruses spread through the arthropod host, where, how and what signalling pathways are activated in response to viral infection, and what the consequences at the cellular and molecular level are for the arthropod. We will also try to find whether any viral proteins are necessary to counteract any antiviral defences. In the first instance we will use Semliki Forest virus, an arthropod-borne member of the Togaviridae family, but in principle the studies are applicable to and could be extended to other arboviruses.