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
Novel polyomaviruses identified in fecal samples from four carnivore species
Novel polyomaviruses identified in fecal samples from four carnivore speciesKraberger, S., Serieys, L. E. K., Riley, S. P. D., Schmidlin, K., Newkirk, E. S., Squires, J. R., Buck, C. B. & Varsani, A., Jan 2023, In: Archives of virology. 168, 1, 18.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Incidence of cotton leaf curl Gezira virus and the associated alphasatellites and betasatellites in crops and ornamental plants in southern Iran
Incidence of cotton leaf curl Gezira virus and the associated alphasatellites and betasatellites in crops and ornamental plants in southern Iran Salari, K., Heydarnejad, J., Massumi, H., Hasanvand, V. & Varsani, A., 2022, (Accepted/In press) In: Tropical Plant Pathology. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Identification of diverse papillomaviruses in captive black-and-white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata)
Identification of diverse papillomaviruses in captive black-and-white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata) Paietta, E. N., Kraberger, S., Custer, J. M., Vargas, K. L., Van Doorslaer, K., Yoder, A. D. & Varsani, A., Jan 2023, In: Archives of virology. 168, 1, 13. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
A circovirus and cycloviruses identified in feces of bobcats (Lynx rufus) in California
A circovirus and cycloviruses identified in feces of bobcats (Lynx rufus) in California Cerna, G. M., Serieys, L. E. K., Riley, S. P. D., Richet, C., Kraberger, S. & Varsani, A., Jan 2023, In: Archives of virology. 168, 1, 23. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Recent changes to virus taxonomy ratified by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (2022)
Recent changes to virus taxonomy ratified by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (2022) Walker, P. J., Siddell, S. G., Lefkowitz, E. J., Mushegian, A. R., Adriaenssens, E. M., Alfenas-Zerbini, P., Dempsey, D. M., Dutilh, B. E., García, M. L., Curtis Hendrickson, R., Junglen, S., Krupovic, M., Kuhn, J. H., Lambert, A. J., Łobocka, … Read more
Virion-Associated Nucleic Acid-Based Metagenomics: A Decade of Advances in Molecular Characterization of Plant Viruses
Virion-Associated Nucleic Acid-Based Metagenomics: A Decade of Advances in Molecular Characterization of Plant Viruses Moubset, O., François, S., Maclot, F., Palanga, E., Julian, C., Claude, L., Fernandez, E., Rott, P., Daugrois, J. H., Antoine-Lorquin, A., Bernardo, P., Blouin, A. G., Temple, C., Kraberger, S., Fontenele, R. S., Harkins, G. W., Ma, Y., Marais, A., Candresse, … Read more
