The research interest of our group in the Animal Health Research Center (AHRC) at the University of Georgia is to develop translational disease intervention strategies for important human viruses and emerging infectious diseases of zoonotic origin.  Our BSL2, BSL3 and BSL3Ag+ laboratories develop platform enabling technologies in pathogen biosensing using nanotechnology-based approaches, antiviral drugs using small molecule and RNAi-based drugs, and animal and human vaccines using state-of-the-art technologies with our in-house GMP vaccine facility.  In parallel, we investigate the mechanisms of immunity and disease pathogenesis associated with infection to better understand the conceptual and functional differences between innate and adaptive immune responses that provide the foundation necessary to facilitate vaccine and antiviral therapeutic protocols. The laboratories leverage the talents of academic, government and industry partners to promote "bench-to-bedside" vaccines and therapeutics.

RNAi Global Principal Investigators 

Ralph Tripp 

Mark Tompkins