Varsani Lab

Molecular Virology Lab

Varsani Lab @ The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA; arvind.varsani[at]asu.edu

Varsani Lab - the viral kind

We are a wild 'viral' molecular virology research group that works across ecosystems studying viral dynamics.

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Our broader objectives are to

  1. 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.
  2. Unravel the viral evolutionary dynamics as a consequence of climate change.
  3. 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

ASU Now - Arvind Varsani portrait - Tempe campus - Biodesign - January 23rd, 2020  Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics associate professor and associate faculty in the Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution Arvind Varsani poses for a portrait at Biodesign on the Tempe campus Thursday evening on January 23rd, 2020. Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
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Publications

Diverse Circular DNA Viral Communities in Blood, Oral, and Fecal Samples of Captive Lemurs

August 15, 2024

Diverse Circular DNA Viral Communities in Blood, Oral, and Fecal Samples of Captive LemursPaietta, 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

August 8, 2024

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)

August 1, 2024

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

Genomes of cressdnaviruses, microviruses, a gyrovirus, and a caudovirus identified in the fecal samples of a mallard and double-crested cormorant

July 25, 2024

Genomes of cressdnaviruses, microviruses, a gyrovirus, and a caudovirus identified in the fecal samples of a mallard and double-crested cormorant Khalifeh, A., Sahnan, S., Kale, S., Olivo, D., Lund, M. C., Kraberger, S. & Varsani, A., Jun 2024, In: Microbiology Resource Announcements. 13, 6 Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

African army ants at the forefront of virome surveillance in a remote tropical forest

July 18, 2024

African army ants at the forefront of virome surveillance in a remote tropical forest Fritz, M., Reggiardo, B., Filloux, D., Claude, L., Fernandez, E., Mahé, F., Kraberger, S., Custer, J. M., Becquart, P., Mebaley, T. N., Kombila, L. B., Lenguiya, L. H., Boundenga, L., Mombo, I. M., Maganga, G. D., Niama, F. R., Koumba, J. … Read more

The pigeon circovirus evolution, epidemiology and interaction with the host immune system under One Loft Race rearing conditions

July 4, 2024

The pigeon circovirus evolution, epidemiology and interaction with the host immune system under One Loft Race rearing conditions Stenzel, T., Dziewulska, D., Łukaszuk, E., Custer, J. M., De Koch, M. D., Kraberger, S. & Varsani, A., Dec 2024, In: Scientific reports. 14, 1, 13815. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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