Antonito (Nito) Panganiban, PhD

My research focuses on the replication strategies, pathogenesis, and antiviral approaches against emerging pathogenic RNA viruses. My lab’s recent work has centered on Sin nombre hantavirus (SNV), a member of the bunyavirus family, and Zika virus, a member of the flavivirus family. Work on SNV elucidated novel and fundamental replication strategies used during infection, resulted in the identification of novel cellular factors required for efficient bunyavirus replication, and defined the host response to infection by SNV and other bunyaviruses.

Our large scale, collaborative project on ZIKV in a nonhuman primate model is helping to define hallmarks of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection on fetal development and ZIKV-induced neuropathogenesis in adults with the goal of designing rationale approaches for abrogating infection and ameliorating disease. I am co-chair of the “ZIKV Working Group (ZWG).” The ZWG is charged with coordinating and tracking progress on nonhuman primate models of ZIKV infection within the seven National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs) in the U.S. Important roles of the ZWG include facilitating collaboration and communication among members of the NPRCs on NHP models of ZIKV infection and treatment.