Daniel Murimi-Worstell

Research/Areas of Interest

My work focuses on the interactions between endogenous viruses (ERVs) and exogenous viruses during infection. Specifically, I am focusing on the differential expression of ERVs during HTLV-1 infection. ERVs (especially HERV-W) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, and HTLV-1 sometimes causes a very similar disease called HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). I am investigating whether ERVs may play a similar role in this disease as they do in multiple sclerosis.