Description of Research Expertise

I conduct research studies on zoonotic respiratory viruses that infect humans, domestic and peri-domestic animals, and persistently circulate in wild animals.

My work has advanced understanding of influenza virus transmission dynamics at the animal–human interface, including forward zoonosis from swine and avian reservoirs to humans and reverse zoonosis from humans back to animals. Through detailed mechanistic studies, I have elucidated the roles of innate and humoral immunity in these transmission events, defined the protective efficacy of specific immune responses, and evaluated the effectiveness of novel vaccine and therapeutic strategies. This body of research—published in high-impact journals and cited more than 100 times in several key papers—directly informed public health measures that helped mitigate influenza-related morbidity and mortality during and after the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.

During the 2012 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outbreak, which carried a case-fatality rate of approximately 36%, I led investigations into human infections across Europe, Asia, Saudi Arabia, and Africa. My studies were among the first to conclusively identify dromedary camels as the primary reservoir and direct source of human MERS-CoV transmission. In collaboration with international partners, I performed comprehensive immunopathological and virological analyses in both camels and humans. These findings provided critical evidence that shaped World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for preventing camel-to-human transmission. I continue to investigate the pathology and immune responses elicited by distinct Clade C MERS-CoV strains circulating in camels and other animals across the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. In recognition of this work, I was appointed to the WHO Expert Panel on MERS-CoV and have designed and delivered laboratory diagnostics and One Health training programs for researchers in Saudi Arabia and Africa.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I conducted multiple studies characterizing SARS-CoV-2 transmission kinetics, tissue tropism, and disease severity across age groups and populations, including both humans and animals. These investigations helped inform early revisions to quarantine and control measures. I have also examined the innate and humoral immune factors governing human-to-animal transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. In parallel, I am actively studying strategies to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 infection in immunocompromised patients in Pennsylvania, particularly those with hematological malignancies who respond poorly to current vaccines.

My long-term goal is to establish a mechanistic framework that anticipates and prevents zoonotic spillover of respiratory viruses while developing broadly protective vaccines and novel therapeutics to safeguard both animal and human health on a global scale.