Yohannes Mebratu, PhD, DVM

Research Project:
Increasing Enzyme in Lung Cells Could Help Fight Severe Influenza

Grant Awarded:

Emerging Respiratory Pathogen Award

Research Topics:

basic biologic mechanisms
combination therapies experimental therapeutics
gene therapy

Research Disease:

influenza

Pandemics caused by new human-transmissible influenza viruses can be devastating, as evidenced by the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic, which claimed 1%–2% of the global population. With approximately 1 billion annual influenza cases and growing resistance to antiviral drugs by multiple strains, there is a need to shift towards universal treatments for emerging and re-emerging influenza viral strains. Our research focuses on a protein called BIK, which is a critical player in the replication of various influenza A virus (IAV) strains, influencing disease severity in humans. The flu virus reduces levels of an enzyme called ARIH2. This enzyme normally inhibits BIK. When the flu virus lowers the levels of ARIH2, it prevents BIK from being broken down by the cell's machinery, which in turn helps the virus replicate. We want to see if increasing ARIH2 in lung cells could be a new way to fight severe types of flu infections effectively.

Page last updated: October 7, 2024

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