Morphogenesis and Antigenicity of HIV and Hapatitus Viruses (MaVIVH)

The research unit studies the intracellular traffic and the morphogenesis of the HIV and the different hepatitis viruses (HBV, HCV, HEV). We also study the impact of the genomic variability of these viruses on infection outcomes such as chronic evolution, pathogenesis, or antiviral treatment resistance. The unit takes benefit of its expertise in viral morphogenesis to develop new original vaccine strategies.

Research topics:

• Human immunodeficiency virus: morphogenesis, viral diversity and its impact on the immune system escape (humoral response, innate response), transmission dynamics
• Hepatitis B virus: entry, replication, morphogenesis, resistance to antivirals, study of its sero-neutralization
• Hepatitis C virus: structure, morphogenesis, pathogenesis
• Hepatitis E virus: infectious cycle, diversity, pathogenesis
• Vaccine development: hepatitis C, Zika, dengue.

Equipment and technology:

• Culture of various viruses in aBSL-3 containment laboratory
• Techniques of viral neutralization
• Observation of virus morphology with the help of the IBiSA platform of Electron Microscopy of the University
• Production of lentiviral vectors