Where viruses knock, we find the keys.

About the LaB

Mission. We investigate how viruses engage host receptors, drive pathogenesis, and overcome species barriers to anticipate and mitigate emerging infectious disease threats. Our lab combines virology, molecular biology, structural insight, and high-throughput screening.

Training Environment. We prioritize inclusive, curiosity-driven mentorship that values equity, diversity, and inclusion. Trainees develop rigorous experimental and communication skills and are supported in pursuing diverse career paths across academia, industry, government, and public health.

Reserach

(Themes and Current Directions)

Coronavirus Receptor Discovery

Mapping coronavirus spike interactions with diverse host receptors (e.g., ACE2, DPP4) across species to define host range and zoonotic potential.

Synthetic receptor panel spanning mammals
Pseudovirus & binding assays
Structure-guided mutagenesis
Evolutionary mapping of receptor-binding domains
Cryo-EM and structural modeling of spike–receptor complexes
Functional assays in organoid and primary cell models
Integration of receptor usage data with phylogenetics to predict spillover risk

Rotavirus and Norovirus Pathogenesis

Focuses on how rotaviruses and noroviruses in the wild engage host receptors and drive pathogenesis.

Identifying receptors used by rotaviruses and noroviruses for host cell entry.
Comparing receptor usage across different animal species.
Studying viral pathogenesis in intestinal cell models.
Using structural biology and sequencing to define receptor–virus interactions.
Developing assays to track cross-species infection potential.

ViromiCS

Focuses on viromics approaches to identify novel viruses with pandemic potential.

Collecting samples from wildlife reservoirs (e.g., bats, rodents, livestock).
Extracting nucleic acids and applying next-generation sequencing.
Using metagenomic assembly and annotation to identify novel viral genomes.
Comparing new sequences with known viruses to assess evolutionary relationships.
Screening for key viral traits (e.g., receptor-binding domains, polymerase fidelity) linked to spillover risk.
Validating candidate viruses in cell culture systems to test host range and infection potential.

Research Team

The voices shaping tomorrow’s science.

Mia Madel Alfajaro DVM, MS, PhD

Principal Investigator

Assistant Professor

University of Calgary,

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Faculty of Affairs and Development

email: mia.alfajaro@ucalgary.ca

Office location: CWPH IE15

Office number: 403-220-8100

Join us: We are looking for highly motivated individuals. We are recruiting MSc/PhD students, undergraduate students (Winter/Summer 2026).

News and events

New paper out! Please check out our latest paper:

HKU5 bat merbecoviruses engage bat and mink ACE2 as entry receptors

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61583-7

Now recruiting MSc/PhD students, Co-op students, undergraduates, winter and summer students

Interested in emerging viruses and receptor biology? Get in touch!

-Send your CV to mia.alfajaro@ucalgary.ca

Why join us?

Inclusive, mentorship-focused culture
Cutting-edge experiments, tools, and technology
Opportunities for collaborations across disciplines

Publications

(Selected research articles. For all article please visit https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Mia+Madel+Alfajaro&sort=date)

Selected Publications:

HKU5 bat merbecoviruses engage bat and mink ACE2 as entry receptors. Alfajaro MM, Keeler EL, Li N, Catanzaro NJ, Teng I‑T, Zhao Z, et al. Nat Commun. 2025 Jul 24;16(1):6822. PMID: 40707428.

Intestinal tuft cell immune privilege enables norovirus persistence. Strine MS, Fagerberg E, Darcy PW, Barrón GM, Filler RB, Alfajaro MM, D’Angelo‑Gavrish N, Wang F, Graziano VR, Menasché BL, Damo M, Wang Y‑T, Howitt MR, Lee S, Joshi NS, Mucida D, Wilen CB. Sci Immunol. 2024 Mar 22;9(93):eadi7038. PMID: 38517952.

Tuft-cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic mediators of norovirus tropism regulate viral immunity. Strine MS, Alfajaro MM, Graziano VR, Song J, et al. Cell Rep. 2022 Nov;41(6):111627. PMID: 36351394.

Single-cell longitudinal analysis of SARS-CoV-2 infection in human airway epithelium identifies target cells, alterations in gene expression, and cell state changes. Ravindra NG, Alfajaro MM, Gasque V, Huston NC, Wan H, Szigeti-Buck K, et al. PLoS Biol. 2021 Mar 17;19(3):e3001143. PMID: 33730024.

Genome-wide CRISPR screens reveal host factors critical for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Wei J, Alfajaro MM, Hanna RE, DeWeirdt PC, Strine MS, Lu P, Cai WL, Hoffmann HH, Sookrung N, Gelbart T, Chan JF, Zhu Y, Lee N, Chatterjee A, Borrajo J, Reich M, Mazdiyasni H, GeurtsvanKessel CH, Vermond J, van der Vries E, Wang B, Wyman SK, Kalocsay M, Chen JS, Poirier JT, Dijkman R, tenOever BR, Macrae RK, Wilen CB, Sabatini DM. Cell. 2021 Jan 7;184(1):76-91.e13. PMID: 33147444.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs dampen the cytokine and antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Chen JS, Alfajaro MM, Wei J, Chow RD, Filler RB, Eisenbarth SC, Wilen CB. J Virol. 2021 Apr 28;95(10):e00014-21. PMID: 33441348.

Dual recognition of sialic acid and α-Gal epitopes by the VP8 domains of the bovine rotavirus G6P[5] WC3 and of its mono-reassortant G4P[5] RotaTeq vaccine strains. Alfajaro MM, J‑Y Kim, Lebenthal HS, Le Pendu J, Choi KO, Cho JH, Tungtrongchitr R, and others. J Virol. 2019 Sep;93(18):e00941‑19. PMID: not listed in source

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