Understanding the molecular warfare between humans and viruses is foundational to the development of next-generation vaccines. UC Santa Cruz Professor Rebecca DuBois and her team use an integrated toolkit of structural biology, biochemistry, virology, and immunology to investigate how viruses cause infections and identify weaknesses that can be targeted with vaccines and antiviral therapies. All human viruses must be able to attach to their target cell and transfer their genetic material inside the cell. The virus surface proteins that carry out these entry steps are the same proteins that our immune system can recognize and inactivate.
Kraw Lecture Series: Viruses & Vaccines
