Inflammatory Response to Viral Infections Research Group

Summary

Viral infections trigger a range of acute and chronic diseases and can predispose individuals to long-term inflammatory conditions. While the immune system is essential for controlling viral pathogens, an overactive or dysregulated response can lead to excessive inflammation, tissue damage, and disease. The IRVIn research group investigates the molecular mechanisms that govern this balance between protective immunity and pathological inflammation.

A key focus of this research is virus-induced senescence (VIS)—a cellular response to viral infection characterized by stable cell cycle arrest and a pro-inflammatory secretory profile known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). The Group studies how VIS contributes to tissue inflammation and dysfunction, using cytomegalovirus (CMV) and BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) as infection models, with particular emphasis on the kidney transplant setting. The goal is to identify therapeutic strategies to target VIS and restore homeostasis. 

In collaboration with the Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis at the University of Turin, where the IRVIn’s PI is currently based, they also explore how viruses, including herpesviruses and coronaviruses, manipulate post-translational modifications (PTMs) such as citrullination—a process mediated by peptidyl-arginine deiminases (PADs). PAD dysregulation is linked to autoimmunity and cancer, and this line of investigation aims to clarify how viral infections contribute to autoimmune disease and identify novel host-targeting antivirals (HTAs).