Dr. Heng-Chang Chen, leader of the Quantitative Virology Research Group at Łukasiewicz – PORT, has been named among the New Voices in Virology by the Journal of Virology. The program highlights researchers who bring fresh perspectives and innovative methods to contemporary virology.
HIV – the virus that can hide
For years, Dr. Chen’s team has been investigating the mechanisms of HIV latency, that is, the virus’s ability to hide within the human genome. After entering a cell, HIV integrates its genetic material into the host DNA and can remain dormant for many years. Some viruses never reactivate, while others can “wake up” and resume replication.
“Our goal is to understand why some viruses become active while others enter a silent state. We suspect that HIV may actively program its own transition into latency,” explains Dr. Chen.
The team has developed a unique in vitro cellular model in which each cell contains a single integrated HIV DNA copy. This allows researchers to observe diverse viral behaviors, ranging from constant activity to complete dormancy. Based on these data, the scientists created a mathematical model of the so-called “noise space,” which helps predict HIV activity.
This research has practical implications, as different forms of HIV respond differently to antiretroviral drugs.
“When designing antiretroviral therapies, it is essential to take into account differences between viral variants – each may have its own pharmacological preferences,” emphasizes Dr. Chen.
In a proposed article for the Journal of Virology, prepared as part of the New Voices in Virology series, Dr. Chen analyzes whether deep learning can be used to predict the microenvironment of HIV reservoirs based on multidimensional data.
SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that jumps between species
“Viruses existed before us and will remain after us. Some are beneficial, others harmful – but all of them teach us how delicate the balance is between the health of humans, animals, and the environment,” says Dr. Chen.
His team combines molecular biology, mathematics, and artificial intelligence to better understand the complex world of microorganisms.
Viruses – old companions and new challenges
– Wirusy były przed nami i pozostaną po nas. Niektóre są nam potrzebne, inne nam szkodzą – ale wszystkie uczą nas, jak delikatny jest balans między zdrowiem ludzi, zwierząt a środowiskiem – mówi dr Chen, którego zespół łączy biologię molekularną, matematykę i sztuczną inteligencję, by lepiej zrozumieć świat mikroorganizmów.
