Personnel

Principal Investigator. Dr. Michael Letko is a molecular virologist studying the mechanisms underlying viral zoonosis. Dr. Letko received his PhD. from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York where he completed his thesis on viral-host co-evolution in lentiviruses and restriction factors. During his post-doctoral fellowship at the NIH’s Rocky Mountain Laboratory campus in Montana, Dr. Letko gained an appreciation for bat-borne emerging infectious diseases and focused his research primarily on coronaviruses. Today, Dr. Letko’s laboratory of functional viromics combines synthetic biology and molecular engineering to assess if and how uncharacterized viruses from the ever-growing virome can infect human cells. His lab is building new tools to explore and study a range of emerging viruses from orthohantavirus to coronavirus across a wide breadth of host reservoir species and in vitro model systems.

FACULTY PAGE

Feature in Wired Magazine

Research Assistant. Mitra is a specialist in cellular and molecular biology. She holds a deep fascination for the realm of viruses and microorganisms, delighting in the challenge of deciphering their complexities. Throughout her career, she has made significant contributions to both academic and industrial sectors, with a particular focus on inflammation, infectious diseases, and the development of innovative delivery systems. Motivated by an unending curiosity, Mitra diligently seeks to expand her understanding of viruses and microorganisms, aiming to make significant advancements in the field of biology.