Work in the lab focuses on monitoring human-animal interactions where rapidly evolving viruses emerge. Virus spillover is a complex process involving multiple factors, and cross-species transmission has not been fully studied in natural environments. Lab members conduct global research, including in North America (Massachusetts and Alaska), Eurasia, and Africa.

Hypotheses about spillover mechanisms the team is investigating include::

• Transmission is highest among closely related species (e.g., human-to-human or duck-to-guinea fowl) and occurs slowly due to mutations.
• Agricultural practices may trigger larger, less frequent species jumps due to faster evolutionary changes like reassortment or recombination.
• People with frequent animal contact are at higher risk, especially if they have no prior immunity.
• Previous exposure to animal viruses offers protection if the new virus is similar, but infection occurs if there's a big difference in viral strains.
• This research helps us understand influenza drivers in natural settings and informs experiments on emerging strains to assess pandemic potential.

The lab’s approach includes rapid genotyping of viruses during outbreaks to track their emergence, transmission, and spread in host populations. This data can then be used to guide public health responses and develop diagnostics and treatments. Their virus analysis pipeline includes phylogenetic studies, identifying mutations for human adaptation, and testing virus replication in human nasal cells and antiviral drug sensitivity.