University of Illinois Chicago · Microbiology & ImmunologyRoss Retrovirology Lab
Susan R Ross · Chicago, Illinois
Research Focus
Dr. Susan R. Ross's lab at the University of Illinois at Chicago focuses on understanding how mammals' immune responses can limit retroviral infections, such as those caused by murine leukemia virus (MLV). The research explores the mechanisms by which host proteins, particularly the APOBEC3 family, interact with viral processes like reverse transcription, to help inform potential therapies for curing or preventing diseases caused by HIV and other retroviruses. This is achieved through innovative mouse models and advanced molecular techniques.
retrovirusesAPOBEC3 proteinsreverse transcriptionviral immunitymouse modelsHIVviral infectionimmune responsecell culturebiological models
Research Aims
3AIM 01Determine where APOBEC3 proteins block reverse transcription in the cell.
AIM 02Investigate how host enzymes repair viral DNA and the impact on viral escape.
AIM 03Explore whether the sensing of viral nucleic acids occurs in the cytoplasm, nucleus, or both.
Skills the Lab Values
PCRmouse modelscell culturemutagenesisgenetic engineeringflow cytometryWestern blottingimmunohistochemistryRNA extractiondata analysis in biology
Output against the department
Publications212top 30% of dept.145th of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations8.9ktop 41% of dept.199th of 486
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.