We study the human virome—the community of eukaryotic DNA viruses that persist in the human body throughout life. Our lab integrates custom-designed next-generation sequencing, advanced bioinformatics, single-cell RNAseq and highly sensitive quantitative PCR assays to comprehensively characterize viral genomes, diversity, and dynamics across tissues and clinical states. By capturing viral DNA with exceptional sensitivity and specificity, we uncover infections that are otherwise invisible to conventional diagnostics. Our goal is to define how persistent viral pathogens contribute to health, chronic disease, and cancer—and to translate this knowledge into new diagnostic tools, biomarkers, and precision medicine strategies. By illuminating this hidden layer of human biology, our work bridges fundamental virology and clinical application, transforming how lifelong viral infections are detected, understood, and managed.
We bring deep and longstanding expertise in transformative approaches to antiviral immunity and infection-timing analyses. Through detailed characterization of immunoglobulin–antigen interactions, we have pioneered antibody avidity diagnostics that distinguish recent from past infections—tools that have already contributed to saving over 100,000 lives worldwide through improved clinical decision-making.
Our lab continues to push diagnostic boundaries by developing rapid point-of-care assays and non-invasive, unconventional sampling strategies that expand access beyond traditional clinical settings. Building on this foundation, our next-generation immunodiagnostic platforms aim to redefine the medical management of infectious and autoimmune diseases, as well as to enable more precise evaluation of vaccine-induced immunity.
We study viral pathogenesis and host–pathogen interactions through a translational, multidisciplinary approach that bridges virology, immunology, genetics and clinical medicine. Working closely with clinicians, we investigate the role of persistent viral infections in autoimmune disease, chronic inflammation, and immunodeficiency.
Our work integrates high-resolution viral and host genomics with qPCR, serological, and in situ diagnostic assays to decode complex clinical phenotypes. By linking molecular viral signatures and immune responses to disease trajectories, we translate biological insight into actionable diagnostics, prognostic markers, and tools for precision medicine.
Ultimately, our goal is to transform mechanistic understanding of virus–host interactions into clinically deployable strategies that improve diagnosis, guide treatment decisions, and optimize vaccination and disease management.
We develop innovative bioinformatic tools for the sensitive identification, accurate assembly, and in-depth analysis of viral genomes.
At the core of our development is TRACESPipe, a custom pipeline that enables cross-examination and integration of sequencing data from multiple sources, increasing sensitivity, confidence, and biological insight in viral genome detection. We have also developed tools to resolve minor viral variants and to detect and characterize viral integration events within host chromosomes. These capabilities allow us to map intra-host viral diversity, trace viral evolution, and define virus–host genomic interactions that underpin persistence, oncogenesis, and chronic disease.
By combining computational innovation with clinical relevance, our bioinformatics platforms transform raw sequencing data into actionable virological knowledge that supports diagnostics, epidemiology, and translational research.