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
07/2016 - Current: 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
Cressdnaviricota: a Virus Phylum Unifying Seven Families of Rep-Encoding Viruses with Single-Stranded, Circular DNA Genomes
Cressdnaviricota: a Virus Phylum Unifying Seven Families of Rep-Encoding Viruses with Single-Stranded, Circular DNA Genomes Krupovic, M., Varsani, A., Kazlauskas, D., Breitbart, M., Delwart, E., Rosario, K., Yutin, N., Wolf, Y. I., Harrach, B., Zerbini, F. M., Dolja, V. V., Kuhn, J. H. & Koonin, E. V., Jun 1 2020, In : Journal of virology. … Read more
Sorghum mastrevirus-associated alphasatellites: new geminialphasatellites associated with an African streak mastrevirus infecting wild Poaceae plants on Reunion Island
Sorghum mastrevirus-associated alphasatellites: new geminialphasatellites associated with an African streak mastrevirus infecting wild Poaceae plants on Reunion Island Claverie, S., Varsani, A., Hoareau, M., Filloux, D., Roumagnac, P., Martin, D. P., Lefeuvre, P. & Lett, J. M., Jan 1 2020, (Accepted/In press) In : Archives of virology. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
The global distribution of Banana bunchy top virus reveals little evidence for frequent recent, human-mediated long distance dispersal events
The global distribution of Banana bunchy top virus reveals little evidence for frequent recent, human-mediated long distance dispersal events Stainton, D., Martin, D. P., Muhire, B. M., Lolohea, S., Halafihi, M., Lepoint, P., Blomme, G., Crew, K. S., Sharman, M., Kraberger, S., Dayaram, A., Walters, M., Collings, D. A., Mabvakure, B., Lemey, P., Harkins, G. … Read more
Frequent cross-species transmissions of foamy virus between domestic and wild felids
Frequent cross-species transmissions of foamy virus between domestic and wild felids Kraberger, S., Fountain-Jones, N. M., Gagne, R. B., Malmberg, J., Dannemiller, N. G., Logan, K., Alldredge, M., Varsani, A., Crooks, K. R., Craft, M., Carver, S. & Vandewoude, S., Jan 17 2020, In : Virus Evolution. 6, 1, vez058. Research output: Contribution to journal … Read more
Sequence-based taxonomic framework for the classification of uncultured single-stranded DNA viruses of the family Genomoviridae
Sequence-based taxonomic framework for the classification of uncultured single-stranded DNA viruses of the family Genomoviridae Varsani, A. & Krupovic, M., Jan 1 2017, In : Virus Evolution. 3, 1, vew037. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
The new scope of virus taxonomy: partitioning the virosphere into 15 hierarchical ranks
The new scope of virus taxonomy: partitioning the virosphere into 15 hierarchical ranks International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses Executive Committee, May 1 2020, In : Nature Microbiology. 5, 5, p. 668-674 7 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
