Jana Liese

Program: Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis

Current advisor: Sean P. J. Whelan, PhD

Undergraduate university: University of South Carolina – Columbia

Research summary
This past summer I worked in the lab of Dr. Sean Whelan, whose lab studies viral gene expression and virus-host interactions. Members of the order Bunyavirales are negative sense, single stranded RNA viruses transmitted primarily by arthropods and cause a range of disease including encephalitis and hemorrhagic fever. Given the limited availability of treatment options, these viruses are of significant public health concern. Genome-wide CRISPR screens have identified potential host factors for bunyavirus entry. My projects aimed to validate the results of these screens and produce tools to be used in future projects on bunyavirus entry.

Graduate publications