Varsani Lab - the viral kind
We are a wild 'viral' molecular virology research group that works across ecosystems studying viral dynamics.
Our broader objectives are to
- Study viral dynamics in Ross Sea (Antarctica) ecosystem which is recognised as anthropogenically the least-altered marine system on the planet with no evidence indicating introduction or range expansion of any species thus far, despite its changing physical environment.
- Unravel the viral evolutionary dynamics as a consequence of climate change.
- Study viral ecological interaction networks within a microbiome to unravel the dynamics of pathogen emergence.
Arvind Varsani
I am a molecular virologist who works across ecosystems from plants to animals and from the tropics to the Antarctic. My research uses a combination of traditional virology, microscopy (including transmission electron microscopy), molecular and cellular biology techniques in conjunction with modern sequencing techniques, synthetic biology and bioinformatics to characterise viruses and understand their dynamics.
Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
6/2023 - current: Professor at the Biodesign Institute and School of Life Sciences
07/2016 - 6/2023: Associate Professor at the Biodesign Institute and School of Life Sciences
University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
02/2009 - 07/2016: Senior lecturer / researcher in School of Biological Sciences
University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
07/2003 - 09/2008: Lecturer in the Structural Biology Research Unit
University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
1998 - 2003: PhD in Molecular and cell biology
Loughborough University, Loughborough, England
1993 - 1997: BSc, DIS in Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Publications
Avian circoviruses and hepadnaviruses identified in tissue samples of various waterfowl
Avian circoviruses and hepadnaviruses identified in tissue samples of various waterfowlOlivo, D. A., Kraberger, S., Chiu, E. S., Custer, J. M., Jackson, D., Regney, M., Lund, M. C., Bandoo, R. A., Souza Penha, V. A. D., Drake, D., McGraw, K. J. & Varsani, A., Feb 2025, In: Virology. 603, 110381.Research output: Contribution to journal › … Read more
Increase of niche filling with increase of host richness for plant-infecting mastreviruses
Increase of niche filling with increase of host richness for plant-infecting mastreviruses Ben Chéhida, S., Devi Bunwaree, H., Hoareau, M., Moubset, O., Julian, C., Blondin, L., Filloux, D., Lavergne, C., Roumagnac, P., Varsani, A., Martin, D. P., Lett, J. M. & Lefeuvre, P., 2024, In: Virus Evolution. 10, 1, veae107. Research output: Contribution to journal … Read more
2024 taxonomic update for the families Naryaviridae, Nenyaviridae, and Vilyaviridae
2024 taxonomic update for the families Naryaviridae, Nenyaviridae, and Vilyaviridae Varsani, A., Hopkins, A., Lund, M. C. & Krupovic, M., Jan 2025, In: Archives of virology. 170, 1, 18. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Diverse Circular DNA Viral Communities in Blood, Oral, and Fecal Samples of Captive Lemurs
Diverse Circular DNA Viral Communities in Blood, Oral, and Fecal Samples of Captive Lemurs Paietta, E. N., Kraberger, S., Lund, M. C., Vargas, K. L., Custer, J. M., Ehmke, E., Yoder, A. D. & Varsani, A., Jul 2024, In: Viruses. 16, 7, 1099. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Occurrence of astrovirus in young racing pigeons and genome characterization of 2 new astrovirus genomes representing 2 new species
Occurrence of astrovirus in young racing pigeons and genome characterization of 2 new astrovirus genomes representing 2 new species Łukaszuk, E., Dziewulska, D., Custer, J. M., Kraberger, S., Varsani, A. & Stenzel, T., Sep 2024, In: Poultry science. 103, 9, 104028. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Metagenome-assembled microvirus and cressdnavirus genomes from fecal samples of house mice (Mus musculus)
Metagenome-assembled microvirus and cressdnavirus genomes from fecal samples of house mice (Mus musculus) Paietta, E. N., Kraberger, S., Custer, J. M., Vargas, K. L., Ehmke, E., Yoder, A. D. & Varsani, A., Jun 2024, In: Microbiology Resource Announcements. 13, 6 Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
