The Gale Laboratory is collaborating with laboratory leaders in the fields of virology, antiviral immunity, biodefense, pharmaceutics, and antiviral therapy featuring academic and industry partners.
Flaviviruses, Henipaviruses, and Filoviruses are pathogenic and emerging RNA viruses that represent a significant threat to U.S. and worldwide populations both as emerging infectious agents as well as their inherent potential to be developed into bioterrorist weapons. This program aims to develop effective antiviral immunotherapeutic agents to enhance intracellular innate immunity and control infection by emerging viruses, including West Nile virus, Dengue virus, Zika virus, Oropuche virus, Nipah virus, and Ebola virus. Our unique strategy targets the antiviral actions of the cellular RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) pathway to induce the expression of innate immune antiviral effector genes that suppress RNA virus infection.
We have developed compounds as antiviral therapeutics, and are conducting a translational research program of study to advance these leads against RNA viruses. Our approach includes systems biology studies to define drug action and pharmacologic properties, host and virus responses, molecular mechanisms of action, and antiviral efficacy of compound classes within relevant challenge models of infection. This work will facilitate the clinical applications of antiviral therapeutics for the protection of the general and at-risk populations against emerging RNA viruses.