Claudia Rückert

Claudia Rückert is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at the University of Nevada, Reno. She directs the Rückert Lab, where her team investigates virus-vector interactions to curb arbovirus transmission.

Education

• Ph.D., University of Edinburgh, UK, 2014
• M.S., University of Heidelberg, Germany, 2010
• B.S., University of Heidelberg, Germany, 2008

Research Focus

Her research spans arbovirology, vector biology, and mosquito antiviral immunity. Key goals include:

• Decoding mosquito immune responses to flaviviruses and alphaviruses.
• Engineering genetic tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in Culex quinquefasciatus cells.
• Exploiting small RNA pathways and pattern-recognition receptors like Toll6 to block viral replication.
• Developing field-applicable transmission-control strategies using endectocide-treated blood meals.

Current projects extend to tick-borne virus evolution, microRNA profiling in vectors, and xenosurveillance in rural Guatemala.

Teaching Contributions

• BCH 405/605 – Molecular Biology (Spring)
• BCH 790 – Biochemistry Seminar (Spring & Fall)

Publications Snapshot

Since 2016, Dr. Rückert has authored >30 peer-reviewed papers. Her work charts viral population dynamics, immune evasion, and gene-editing breakthroughs across Aedes, Culex, and tick systems, consistently bridging molecular mechanisms with epidemiological impact.

Laboratory & Team

The Rückert Lab—based in the Howard Medical Sciences (HMS) Building, Room 157B—integrates cell culture, high-throughput sequencing, and mosquito infection models to accelerate translational vector-borne disease research.