Understanding Retroviruses with Dr. Melissa Kane

The central focus of the Kane Lab is understanding the genetic and immunological basis for protective antiviral immune responses, as well as the molecular details underlying the direct inhibition of retroviral replication by restriction factors. Dr. Kane’s lab utilizes both in vitro and in vivo tools to investigate intrinsic, innate, and adaptive immune responses to retroviral infection. The research is centered around three questions: What allows some individuals to restrict or control retroviral replication? How do retroviruses counteract host defenses? And what are the features of successful anti-retroviral immune responses?