معرفی
Aaron Mendez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology at Tufts University School of Medicine. His research focuses on understanding how viruses maximize their replicative output through the formation of replication compartments, using Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) as a model system.
Education: PhD in Chemistry & Chemical Biology from the University of California, San Francisco (2015); BSc in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from the University of California, Irvine (2009).
Research Interests: The lab employs a multidisciplinary approach combining molecular virology, biochemistry, and chemical genetics to uncover molecular mechanisms underlying viral replication compartment formation. Key areas include compartment dynamics, viral machinery organization, and evasion of host immune responses. Recent work highlights studies on SOX exonuclease activity in KSHV and SARS-CoV-2 nsp1 protein function.
Publications: Recent articles (2014–2023) explore viral replication mechanisms, ER stress pathways, and protein engineering. Notable contributions include elucidating SOX's role in viral DNA processing and characterizing SARS-CoV-2 nsp1's suppression of host gene expression.
Grants & Lab Activities: The lab develops novel tools for studying viral replication compartments, with potential applications in antiviral strategies. Current efforts aim to identify linchpin interactions critical for compartment assembly and function.
Labs/Teams: Mendez leads a research group focused on advancing virology through innovative biochemical and genetic methodologies.
