CURRENT MEMBERS

Karen Preiter, PhD

Lab Supervisor/Manager since June 2023

Ph.D. in Molecular Microbiology from Washington University in St. Louis.

preiterke@wustl.edu

Emna Achouri

Senior Bioinformaticist, joined September 2020

Master’s degree in Genomics, majoring in Computational Biology, Université d’Evry (France)

emna@wustl.edu

Publications:

1. Felt SA, Sun Y, Jozwik A, Para A, Habibi MS, Nickle D, Anderson L, Achouri E, Feemster K, Cardenas AM, Turi KN, Chang M, Hartert TV, Sengupta S, Chiu C, and López CB (2021). Detection of Respiratory syncytial virus defective genomes in nasal secretions is associated with distinct clinical outcomes. Nat. Microbiol., https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-021-00882-3.2. Felt SA, Achouri E, Faber SR and López CB (2022). Accumulation of copy-back viral genomes during respiratory syncytial virus infection is preceded by diversification of the copy-back genome population followed by selection. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.25.493350v13. Achouri E, Felt SA, Hackbart MS, Rivera-Espinal NS and López CB. (2023) VODKA2: A fast and accurate method to detect non-standard viral genomes from large RNA-seq datasets https://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2023.05.17.541157v1. RNA. Oct 27:rna.079747.123. doi: 10.1261/rna.079747.123. 4. Pye SE, Achouri E, Yang Y, Musa A and López CB (2025) Validation of diverse and previously untraceable Sendai virus copyback viral genomes by Direct RNA Sequencing. [preprint: bioRxiv 2025.04.04.647164v2] Submitted.

Matthew Hackbart, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher since June 2020

Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from Loyola University in Chicago

hackbart@wustl.edu

Publications:

1. Achouri E, Felt SA, Hackbart MS, Rivera-Espinal NS and López CB. (2023) VODKA2: A fast and accurate method to detect non-standard viral genomes from large RNA-seq datasets https://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2023.05.17.541157v1. RNA. Oct 27:rna.079747.123. doi: 10.1261/rna.079747.123. 2. Gonzalez-Aparicio LJ, Yang Y, Hackbart MS, and López CB (2023).Copy-back viral genomes induce a cellular stress response that interferes with viral protein expression without affecting antiviral immunity https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.17.541157v2. PLoS Bio, Nov 20;21(11):e3002381.3. Hackbart MS and López CB. (2023) S RNA Intergenic Deletions Drive Viral Interference during Arenavirus Infections. [preprint: bioRxiv 2023.10.31.564889] mBio, 10.1128/mbio.01612-24.

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Italo Araujo Castro, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher since September 2020

Ph.D. Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Sao Pablo, Brazil.

italo@wustl.edu

Publications:

1.Hiller BE, Yin Y, Perng Y, Castro I, Fox LE, Locke MC, Monte KJ, López CB, Ornitz D, Lenschow DJ (2022) Fibroblast growth factor-9 expression in airway epithelial cells amplifies the type I interferon response and alters influenza A virus pathogenesis. PLoS Pathogens, 18(6): e1010228. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. ppat.1010228. 2. Castro I, Yang Y, Gnazzo V, Kim DH, Van Dyken SJ, López CB (2023) Murine Parainfluenza Virus Persists in Lung Innate Immune Cells Sustaining Chronic Lung Pathology. [preprint: bioRxiv 2023.11.07.566103] Nat. Microbiol., https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-024-01805-8.3.Gnazzo V, Saleh H, Castro I, Boon AJ, Brien J and López CB (2024) DDO-adjuvanted influenza A virus nucleoprotein mRNA vaccine induces robust humoral and cellular type 1 immune responses and protects mice from challenge [preprint: bioRxiv 2024.10.27.620508v1]. mBio, 10.1128/mbio.03589-24. PMID: 39692514.

Lavinia Gonzalez

Postdoctoral Researcher since September 2023

Previously Graduate Student, joined the lab in June 2018

DBBS, Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis Program

g.lavinia@wustl.edu

Publications:

1. Gonzalez Aparicio LJ, López CB and Felt SA (2022) (Review) A Virus is a Community: Diversity within Negative Sense RNA Virus Populations. MMBR, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/mmbr.00086-21 .2. Gonzalez-Aparicio LJ, Yang Y, Hackbart MS, and López CB (2023).Copy-back viral genomes induce a cellular stress response that interferes with viral protein expression without affecting antiviral immunity https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.17.541157v2. PLoS Biology Nov 20;21(11):e3002381 .3. Gonzalez-Aparicio, LJ. and López CB (2024) (Review). Selection of non-standard viral genomes during the evolution of RNA viruses: A virus survival strategy or a pesky inconvenience? Advances in Virus Research Vol. 119. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.aivir.2024.05.002.

Sydney Faber

Senior ResearchTechnician, joined the lab in June 2020

Faber@wustl.edu

Publications:

1. Felt S, Achouri E, Faber SR and López CB (2022). Accumulation of copy-back viral genomes during respiratory syncytial virus infection is preceded by diversification of the copy-back genome population followed by selection. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.25.493350v12. Musa AO*, Faber SR*, Forrest K, Smith KP, Sengupta S and López CB (2024) Identification of distinct genotypes in circulating RSV A strains based on variants on the virus replication-associated genes. [preprint: bioRxiv 2024.04.22.5590570v2]. Journal of Virology, doi: 10.1128/jvi.00990-24. *authors contributed equally

Nicole Rivera-Espinal

Graduate Student, joined the lab in May 2021

NSF-GRFP Fellow (2021)

DBBS, Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis Program

n.rivera-espinal@wustl.edu

Publications:

Yanling Yang, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher since November 2021

PhD in Preventive Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China

yanlingy@wustl.edu

Publications:

1. Gonzalez-Aparicio LJ, Yang Y, Hackbart MS, and López CB (2023).Copy-back viral genomes induce a cellular stress response that interferes with viral protein expression without affecting antiviral immunity https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.17.541157v2. PLoS Biology Nov 20;21(11):e3002381.2. Castro I, Yang Y, Gnazzo V, Kim DH, Van Dyken SJ, López CB (2023) Murine Parainfluenza Virus Persists in Lung Innate Immune Cells Sustaining Chronic Lung Pathology. [preprint: bioRxiv 2023.11.07.566103] Nat. Microbiol., https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-024-01805-8.3. Li X, Yang Y, López CB (2024) Indiscriminate activities of different Henipavirus polymerase complex proteins allow for efficient minigenome replication in hybrid systems. [preprint: bioRxiv 2024.03.18.585482] Journal of Virology, Jun 13;98(6):e0050324. doi: 10.1128/jvi.00503-24. 4. Yang Y, Wang Y, Campbell D, Lee HW, Wang, L, Baldridge M and López CB (2024) SLC35A2 modulates paramyxovirus fusion events during infection. [preprint: bioRxiv 2024.08.27.609835]. PLoS Pathogens Jan 10;21(1):e1012531. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012531. PMID: 39792924.5. Pye SE, Achouri E, Yang Y, Musa A and López CB (2025) Validation of diverse and previously untraceable Sendai virus copyback viral genomes by Direct RNA Sequencing. [preprint: bioRxiv 2025.04.04.647164v2] Submitted.

Victoria Gnazzo, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher since September 2021

PhD in Veterinary Medicine, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

gnazzo@wustl.edu

Publications:

1. Fisher DG, Gazzo V, Holthausen D and López CB. (2022) Non-standard viral genome-derived RNA activates TLR3 and type I IFN signaling to induce cDC1-dependent CD8+ T-cell responses during vaccination in mice. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.09.495494v1.full. Vaccine 40: 7270-7279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.10.052 2. Castro I, Yang Y, Gnazzo V, Kim DH, Van Dyken SJ, López CB (2023) Murine Parainfluenza Virus Persists in Lung Innate Immune Cells Sustaining Chronic Lung Pathology. [preprint: bioRxiv 2023.11.07.566103] Nat. Microbiol., https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-024-01805-8.3.Gnazzo V, Saleh H, Castro I, Boon AJ, Brien J and López CB (2024) DDO-adjuvanted influenza A virus nucleoprotein mRNA vaccine induces robust humoral and cellular type 1 immune responses and protects mice from challenge [preprint: bioRxiv 2024.10.27.620508v1]. mBio, 10.1128/mbio.03589-24. PMID: 39692514.

Sarah Beth (SB) Pye

Graduate Student, joined the lab in January 2022

NSF-GRFP Fellow (2021)

DBBS, Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis Program

e.pye@wustl.edu

Publications:

1. Natasha A, Pye SB, Cho SH, Pangestu HS, Park K, Prayitno SP, Lee JS, Kim Budathroki S, Song JW, López CB, J Suh JG, Kim WK. (2024) Molecular Detection and Genomic Characterization of Samak Micromys Paramyxovirus-1 and -2 in Micromys minutus, Republic of Korea. Virology Journal. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-024-02532-6.2. Natasha A, Pye SB, Park K, Rajoriya S, Yand I, Oh Y, López CB, Song JW and Kim WK (2025) Detection and Characterization of Langya virus in Crocidura lasiura, Republic of Korea, [preprint: bioRxiv 2024.12.02.626520v2] One Health, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101017.3. Pye SE, Achouri E, Yang Y, Musa A and López CB (2025) Validation of diverse and previously untraceable Sendai virus copyback viral genomes by Direct RNA Sequencing. [preprint: bioRxiv 2025.04.04.647164v2] Submitted.

Daniela Vidal

Graduate Student, joined the lab in May 2022

DBBS, Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis Program

d.vidal@wustl.edu

Yuchen Wang

Undergrad, joined the lab in September 2022

Washington University in St. Louis

wang.yuchen@wustl.edu

Publications

1. Yang Y, Wang Y, Campbell D, Lee HW, Wang, L, Baldridge M and López CB (2024) SLC35A2 modulates paramyxovirus fusion events during infection. [preprint: bioRxiv 2024.08.27.609835]. PLoS Pathogens Jan 10;21(1):e1012531. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012531. PMID: 39792924.

Rosie Reilly

MD/PhD Student, Joined the lab in February 2023

DBBS, Immunology Program

r.reilly@wustl.edu

Xiao Li, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher since 2023

PhD in Preventive Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China

x.li1@wustl.edu

Publications:

1. Li X, Yang Y, López CB (2024) Indiscriminate activities of different Henipavirus polymerase complex proteins allow for efficient minigenome replication in hybrid systems. [preprint: bioRxiv 2024.03.18.585482] Journal of Virology, Jun 13;98(6):e0050324. doi: 10.1128/jvi.00503-24.

Abdulafiz Musa

Senior Research Technician since 2023

Master of Science in Biology from East Tennessee State University

musa@wustl.edu

Publications:

1. Musa AO*, Faber SR*, Forrest K, Smith KP, Sengupta S and López CB (2024) Identification of distinct genotypes in circulating RSV A strains based on variants on the virus replication-associated genes. [preprint: bioRxiv 2024.04.22.5590570v2]. Journal of Virology, doi: 10.1128/jvi.00990-24. *authors contributed equally2. Pye SE, Achouri E, Yang Y, Musa A and López CB (2025) Validation of diverse and previously untraceable Sendai virus copyback viral genomes by Direct RNA Sequencing. [preprint: bioRxiv 2025.04.04.647164v2] Submitted.