Chisu Song

Chisu Song serves as a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She maintains dual institutional affiliations with the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS) and the Robert J. Havey, MD Institute for Global Health - Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution.

Her academic credentials include:

• PhD in Microbiology from University of Alabama at Birmingham (2001)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Microbiology at University of Alabama at Birmingham (2003)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Hematology-Oncology at University of Alabama at Birmingham (2005)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Microbiology and Immunology at Vanderbilt University (2007)

Dr. Song's research centers on APOBEC3 cytidine deaminase proteins and their dual roles in HIV-1 regulation and human carcinogenesis. Her work investigates how cellular regulatory mechanisms controlling APOBEC3 proteins could enable sustained HIV remission without antiretroviral therapy (functional cure) while simultaneously elucidating their contributions to over 50% of human cancers through mutagenesis driving drug resistance and metastasis. This interdisciplinary research bridges virology, cancer biology, and molecular therapeutics.

Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent focus on APOBEC3-HIV interactions across 13 publications, with recent work (2015-2025) demonstrating progression from fundamental mechanisms of APOBEC3 localization and regulation toward therapeutic applications. Her research integrates structural virology, protein biochemistry, and drug discovery to develop inhibitors targeting APOBEC3 degradation pathways and identify broad-spectrum antivirals with implications for both HIV treatment and cancer therapeutics.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• The Foundation of AIDS Research (amfAR) Research Fellowship (2005)

She maintains active membership in the American Society for Microbiology (2012-present).

Dr. Song has no disclosed external professional relationships for calendar year 2024 per Feinberg School of Medicine transparency policies. Her research is conducted through institutional affiliations with NUCATS and the Institute for Global Health, where she contributes to pathogen genomics and microbial evolution initiatives. Current work focuses on developing therapeutic interventions targeting APOBEC3 regulatory pathways for HIV functional cure strategies and cancer treatment applications.