The Tuli Lab was born May 1, 2005 in Bloomington, Indiana.
Ever wonder how a virus knows what to do once it enters a host cell? How are all the different steps coordinated to make new infectious particles? How is the host responding to the viral infection?
Our lab studies the viral and host determinants required for alphavirus assembly and spread. Alphaviruses are arboviruses-viruses that are transmitted by an arthropod vector (like a mosquito) to a vertebrate host. We use a variety of approaches to study assembly including viral and host genetics, cell biology, biochemistry, and structural biology.
By finding the determinants that are required during assembly, we will have identified specific sites to be targets for small -molecule anti-virals. In addition, by determining critical contacts that drive self-assembly, we can use this information to engineer viral nanoparticles that have therapeutic or medicinal properties.
Check out our research page to learn about the main research interests of our lab. We also are involved in many collaborations, see our publications page to read about these endeavors.