Jacco Boon

Roles and Affiliations

Dr. Jacco Boon is an Associate Professor at Washington University School of Medicine, affiliated with the John T. Milliken Department of Medicine, Molecular Microbiology, and Pathology and Immunology. He leads the Boon Lab, which focuses on RNA virus research, particularly influenza, Bourbon virus, and SARS-CoV-2. He holds academic roles in the Division of Infectious Diseases and multiple interdisciplinary centers including the Institute for Public Health and Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences.

Education

• PhD in Virology, Erasmus University Rotterdam (2003)
• Postdoctoral Training at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (2005–2011)
• Joined Washington University in 2011 as Assistant Professor, promoted to Associate Professor in 2019

Research Interests

Dr. Boon’s work centers on viral pathogenesis, host-virus interactions, and antiviral strategies. Key focus areas include:

• Development of animal models (e.g., Syrian hamsters for SARS-CoV-2, mice for influenza)
• Genetic factors influencing disease severity (e.g., IFI35 knockout mice)
• RNA biology of influenza virus genome packaging
• Bourbon virus epidemiology and tick-borne transmission
• Vaccine and adjuvant development for influenza and emerging pathogens

Awards and Grants

Recipient of the Barrett Postdoctoral Fellowship (2005) and multiple travel awards for international conferences. Active grant funding includes NIH/NIAID awards for influenza research and viral pathogenesis studies.

Advising and Mentorship

• Current trainees: 4 postdocs (e.g., Gayan Bamunuarachchi, Ishmael Aziati) and graduate student Houda Harastani
• Past advisees include Graham Williams (now at Duke University) and Anshu Gounder (Sanford Burnham Prebys Institute)
• Mentor for Global Health Mentoring Program

Labs and Collaborations

Director of a BSL-3 facility for high-pathogenicity virus research. Collaborations include:

• Tick-borne virus surveillance in Missouri
• Development of viral neutralization assays for influenza and SARS-CoV-2
• Structural biology of viral RNA interactions (e.g., influenza nucleoprotein)