Title: Unraveling virus-immune interface at the respiratory mucosa

Miyu Moriyama, PhD 

Associate Research Scientist

Department of Immunobiology, Yale University

Candidate for a faculty position in Virology and Vectors of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Biological Sciences

Abstract

Pathogenic viruses have evolved diverse strategies to evade host immune defenses to replicate efficiently and spread to new hosts. In the first part of this talk, I will focus on viral immune evasion mechanisms employed by emerging and re-emerging viruses, with an emphasis on influenza virus. Influenza viruses deploy layered strategies to subvert both innate and adaptive immune responses. In particular, the influenza A virus NS1 protein is a multifunctional virulence factor that antagonizes host innate immunity. I will discuss our mechanistic studies revealing how NS1 disrupts host antiviral signaling pathways, as well as our discovery of an unexpected role for NS1 in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis while infection. Loss of NS1 leads to excessive mitochondrial DNA release and subsequent activation of innate immune signaling, demonstrating a previously unrecognized mechanism by which an RNA virus can trigger mitochondrial DNA-mediated immune activation.

Zoonotic RNA viruses with highly mutable surface glycoproteins, such as influenza viruses and coronaviruses, pose an ongoing pandemic threat due to their rapid evolution and ability to cross species barriers. Vaccination remains the most effective strategy to control these emerging respiratory viruses. However, conventional parenteral vaccines primarily induce systemic immunity and often fail to generate robust mucosal immune responses at the respiratory surfaces where infection is initiated. In the second part of the talk, I will present our recent efforts to develop strategies for eliciting strong mucosal immunity without relying on traditional adjuvants, which can sometimes cause undesirable inflammatory side effects.

Together, these studies highlight key mechanisms of virus-immune interactions and illustrate how mechanistic insights into antiviral immunity can inform the development of improved vaccine strategies and strengthen preparedness for future respiratory virus pandemics.

Short Bio

Miyu Moriyama, Ph.D., is an Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Immunobiology at Yale University. Having trained in the fields of Virology and Immunology, her research focuses on how host, environmental, and viral factors shape innate and adaptive immune responses to respiratory viruses, with a particular emphasis on influenza. She has been recognized with multiple awards, including the NIAID Career Transition Award (K22).

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