Inactivation Mechanisms
Embedded Files
While the disinfection kinetics of viruses are well documented, the molecular mechanisms behind virus inactivation remain poorly understood. This knowledge gap limits our ability to predict the disinfection behavior of non-culturable viruses and those requiring high biosafety containment, even when surrogate viruses are available. My research addresses this challenge by investigating virus inactivation mechanisms at the molecular level using synthetic virus-like particles. These engineered particles offer a safer and more controlled system to probe how disinfectants disrupt viral structures. By uncovering these mechanisms, we aim to improve our ability to predict the behavior of hard-to-study viruses—including emerging and high-risk pathogens—enhancing preparedness for future outbreaks and pandemics.
Photochemistry of Membrane Lipids Relevant to Virus Photoinactivation
(on-going project)
Preliminary work by our group suggests that the oxidative damage to the lipid membranes surrounding enveloped viruses may be a relevant mechanism of enveloped virus inactivation in the environment. Therefore, in this project, we propose the development of a synthetic biology platform that creates engineered biomimetic viral envelopes to allow scientists to study viral inactivation in the environment. We will use influenza A virus (IAV) as a model organism to develop this technology, since IAV has pandemic potential and infects both humans and animals. In a second step, we will generalize the protocol for any enveloped virus, investigating various lipid membrane compositions. Our work will showcase this technology by studying sunlight-mediated oxidative damage of IAV lipids in water. This is particularly relevant now, as the current H5N1 outbreak is transmitted by water, and there are no studies of sunlight-mediated IAV inactivation in water.
Our project will have both immediate impact and long-term implications for public health and environmental sustainability. Understanding the mechanisms and rate at which viruses such as IAV degrade in the environment is key to implementing successful mitigation measures. Long-term, the creation of viral lipid vesicles that mimic real viruses will allow for the rapid investigation of the environmental persistence of emerging viruses, a key component in combating their spread. More generally, successfully development of bio-engineered lipid vesicles which mimic natural virus envelopes would allow: (1) an understanding of the mechanism through which the photoinactivation of IAV occurs in the environment; (2) a technology platform and development process adaptable to other enveloped viruses, including coronaviruses and poxviruses, such as mpox; (3) the determination of the effectiveness of sunlight inactivation of viruses to reduce current chemical treatment methods; (4) the usage of cost-effective solutions in resource limited settings.
Collaborators: Kristopher McNeill, Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zürich
Juliana Rose Laszakovits, Environmental Chemistry at ETH Zürich
Page updated
Report abuse