Laboratory of Virology

The Laboratory of Virology has an extensive expertise in the pathogenesis and control of viral diseases. Over the past ten years, the focus of its research has been broadened from pig and poultry towards other mammals and even humans. The main research focus is on identification of the entry mechanism of a virus into its host, more specifically in identifying how viruses pass barriers such as mucus or basal membranes. This research focus yields important new insights which are systematically evaluated for their potential for parenting and valorization, e.g. towards new vaccines or new medicines.

Analogously, the lab has invested substantial effort in the development of tools and models for studying the immunology of crustaceans and the pathology of infection in commercially relevant shrimp species. As a result, an extensive set of tools was developed for studying viral shrimp infections in vivo and in vitro, mainly on White Spot Syndrome virus (WSSV). To a lesser extent, the Laboratory of Virology has also worked on Gill Associated Virus, Yellow Head Virus and Taura Virus.