The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston · Microbiology & ImmunologyRift Valley Virus Research Unit
Shinji Makino · Galveston, Texas
Research Focus
Professor Shinji Makino leads a research lab at the University of Texas Med Br Galveston focused on understanding the Rift Valley fever virus, which can cause serious diseases like hemorrhagic fever in humans and livestock. The lab investigates how the virus's RNA is packaged, which is crucial for developing antiviral drugs and vaccines. Their work aims to prevent outbreaks by elucidating the viral mechanisms that could aid in public health strategies against this and similar viruses.
Rift Valley fever virusRNA packagingantiviral drugsvaccinesviral mechanisms
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate how viral RNA segments interact during packaging.
AIM 02Develop strategies for efficient RNA packaging to enhance vaccine efficacy.
AIM 03Elucidate the mechanisms behind RNA-RNA interactions in RVFV.
AIM 04Test the roles of different viral proteins in RNA packaging.
AIM 05Assess the impact of RNA structure on the viral life cycle.
Skills the Lab Values
molecular cloningRNA isolationreverse transcription PCRcell cultureviral plaque assayimmunofluorescence microscopyRNA sequencingbiostatisticsbioinformaticspathogen handling
Output against the department
Publications210top 30% of dept.148th of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations14ktop 27% of dept.129th 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.