Research Areas

One research focus is to investigate the impact of defective viral genomes on infection outcomes. Defective viral genomes influence viral spread, trigger host immune responses and can reduce infectious virus loads. Thus, they provide a potential alternative to conventional antiviral measures, which can avoid the emergence of drug-resistant virus strains. 

We develop OMICs-informed and artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced computational models to analyze and predict the impact of defective viral genomes on infection outcomes, and facilitate the development of innovative AI-supported antiviral therapies. We use AI to mine characteristics of defective viral genomes as novel antivirals that turn pathogens against themselves. For this, we integrate next generation sequencing data as well as quantitative measures of antiviral activity from virus load reduction assays. Together with wet-lab partners, defective viral genomes with a desired antiviral potential will be subjected to in vitro and in vivo validation experiments.