Troels Kasper Høyer Scheel

Troels Kasper Høyer Scheel is a Tenured Associate Professor at the Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, and the Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP). He is also a Guest Investigator at the Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, The Rockefeller University in New York. His research group, consisting of around 10 researchers, investigates virus-host interactions at the molecular level, with a particular focus on RNA viruses and their interplay with cellular factors at the RNA level.

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Virology (2011) from CO-HEP, Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital and Dept. of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen
• MSc in Biochemistry (2007) from University of Copenhagen
• BSc in Biochemistry (2004) from University of Copenhagen

Dr. Scheel's research focuses on the molecular and cellular biology of viral infections, particularly studying RNA viruses including HCV, pestiviruses, equine hepacivirus, and rodent hepacivirus. His group has made significant contributions to understanding how viruses interact with cellular miRNAs, with groundbreaking work showing that HCV requires miR-122 for replication and that pestiviruses similarly require miR-17 family members. His work spans miRNA systems biology, RNA modifications, development of in vivo infectious clones, and molecular evolution of RNA viruses.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on HCV models, viral evolution, and host-pathogen interactions. His work spans basic virology, molecular biology, and translational research with implications for therapeutic development, particularly in understanding viral mechanisms that could inform vaccine development and antiviral therapies.

His scientific awards include:

• Carlsberg Foundation Young Researcher Fellowship (2021)
• Starting Grant from the European Research Council (2018)
• Starting Grant from The Danish Council for Independent Research (2016)
• Sapere Aude: Research Talent Award from The Danish Council For Independent Research (2011)

Dr. Scheel teaches courses on 'The Immune Response to Infection' for the Immunology and Inflammation MSc program, and delivers lectures on virology for Human Biology and Medicine programs. He leads research projects funded by multiple prestigious grants and collaborates with approximately 40 scientists within the Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program. His laboratory is located on the 13th floor at the Panum Institute in Copenhagen, where he continues to investigate novel aspects of virus-host interactions that have implications for understanding viral pathogenesis and developing new therapeutic approaches.