Investigation of the structure of the influenza A virus genome and how it directs reassortment to generate novel strains

Pandemic influenza viruses acquire new properties through the swapping of gene segments known as reassortment. We will investigate the structure of the influenza A virus genome to dissect the molecular mechanism that enables specific genes to interact and be co-selected during reassortment. Our work will provide key insights into the probability of viruses with particular gene constellations emerging in the future, that will greatly benefit pandemic assessment and planning.