Anil Kumar

Dr. Anil Kumar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Saskatchewan's College of Medicine. He specializes in molecular virology, focusing on positive-stranded RNA viruses and their interactions with host immune systems. His research employs high-throughput genetic screens and reverse genetics systems to identify host factors critical for viral infection.

Education includes a BSc in Agricultural Sciences (1999, Kerala Agricultural University), MSc in Plant Pathology (2001, Indian Agricultural Research Institute), and PhD in Molecular Virology (2010, University of Heidelberg). Postdoctoral training included stints at the University of Heidelberg (2010–2013) and the University of Alberta (2014–2020).

Research interests center on Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) and Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68). For EEEV, his lab investigates immune evasion mechanisms and host-virus protein interactions to identify therapeutic targets. For EV-D68, they study CNS invasion mechanisms and novel host dependency factors linked to acute flaccid myelitis (AFM). Recent work includes studies on SARS-CoV-2, uncovering roles for host proteins like Argonaute 2 in viral restriction.

His lab integrates molecular biology, virology, and systems biology approaches, with a focus on translational research for antiviral drug development. Collaborations include work on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) entry mechanisms and dengue virus replication regulation.