Research Projects

Despite progress in understanding the pathogenesis of JE, we do not have any established treatment for JE. Although it is well established that lncRNAs expression is altered by a viral infection, the investigation into the role and function of lncRNAs in viral infections is in its infancy. This is particularly true for JEV, for which only a handful of studies are available on lncRNAs. LncRNAs may be a part of the host response to viral infection or manipulation by the virus of host cellular pathways to promote a cellular environment more conducive to viral replication. We will perform whole transcriptomic sequencing analysis to identify JEV-regulated lncRNA in JEV-infected mice brain and functionally characterize their role in Neuroinflammation in JE pathogenesis. The knowledge about the function and mechanism of action of lncRNAs in Neuroinflammation during JE will increase our understanding of host response to JEV infection and help us identify novel therapeutic targets for treating JE.