معرفی
Rachel Fearns is a Professor and Chair of Virology, Immunology & Microbiology at the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University. She holds the Ernest Barsamian, MD Professorship. Her research focuses on the transcription and replication mechanisms of non-segmented negative strand RNA viruses, including RSV, Nipah, Marburg, and parainfluenza viruses. She collaborates with structural biologists and industry partners to develop antiviral therapies.
Education: PhD in Microbiology from the University of St. Andrews, BS in Microbiology from the University of Leeds.
Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms of viral RNA synthesis, structure-function relationships of viral polymerases, and antiviral drug development. Her lab investigates viral replication processes and identifies targets for broad-spectrum antivirals. Key projects include studying RSV M2-1 protein regulation and inhibitor mechanisms.
Grants/Projects: Active grants include NIH-funded studies on Marburg virus gene expression, RSV nucleotide biosynthesis interactions, and collaborations with Merck, Roche, and others. Her work spans basic research to translational drug discovery.
Labs/Teams: Member of the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Pulmonary Center, and Genome Science Institute at BU. She leads a multidisciplinary team integrating virology, biochemistry, and structural biology.
