Vector Borne Diseases

INFECTIOUS DISEASES / Virology

Research Interests

Arboviral pathogenesis, vector biology, virus-host interactions, virology, Molecular epidemiology, Emerging infectious diseases.

Description of Research

The Vector Borne Diseases (VBD) Group, led by Dr. Sujatha Sunil, investigates the molecular, viral, vector, and epidemiological mechanisms that underpin arboviral infections, with primary focus on chikungunya and dengue viruses. The group seeks to understand how viruses interact with both their hosts and vectors to establish infection, evade immune defenses, and drive outbreaks.

At the molecular level, the team studies virus–host interactions, identifying viral and cellular factors that modulate replication, immune suppression, and chronic disease progression. Using approaches in molecular virology, functional genomics, proteomics, and reverse genetics, the laboratory has uncovered host regulatory networks and viral RNA-interference suppressors that define pathogenesis and persistence.

Complementing this, the VBD Group conducts extensive vector biology studies to characterize Aedes mosquito populations across India, assessing their competence, genetic diversity, and role in virus maintenance, including evidence for natural vertical transmission. These studies bridge laboratory and field biology to clarify how mosquito physiology and genetics influence viral transmission efficiency.

The group also integrates molecular epidemiology and climate analysis to examine how environmental factors—such as temperature, rainfall, and humidity—affect mosquito abundance, virus evolution, and disease dynamics. By linking laboratory findings with climatic data, the team aims to develop early-warning models for predicting arboviral outbreaks under changing climate conditions.

Through this multidisciplinary framework, Dr. Sunil’s group advances a systems-level understanding of arboviral pathogenesis, vector competence, and outbreak ecology, translating fundamental discoveries into strategies that strengthen surveillance and preparedness for emerging vector-borne diseases.

Recent publications