Wilke
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The Wilke lab carries out research in computational evolutionary biology, bioinformatics, and biostatistics. All our research is theoretical or computational, but we frequently collaborate with experimental groups. Much of our research focuses on molecular evolution, in particular on (i) the evolution of viruses and (ii) biophysical mechanisms of protein evolution. Other areas of interest are theoretical population genetics, epidemiology, and immunology.
To see what we are currently working on, check out our recent publications.
Recent News
01/05/2010—NY Times article on lethal mutagenesis
In today's issue of the New York Times, Carl Zimmer discusses the prospects and challenges of combating viruses with lethal mutagenesis. The article features some of the work done in the Wilke lab as well as work done by our colleagues and collaborators in the Bull lab.
09/16/2009—Novel source of HIV-1 viremia in patients on HAART
Even though highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can reduce HIV-1 virus load to clinically undetectable levels, the virus never completely disappears and ultrasensitive assays can detect small quantities of virus in all patients on HAART. The exact origin of this virus is unknown. Many researchers assume that it is produced by latently infected CD4+ T cells that reactivate. We analyzed HIV-1 sequences isolated from resting CD4+ T cells, activated CD4+ T cells, and blood plasma using a population-genetics approach. Our analysis showed that sequences from resting and activated CD4+ T cells formed a single population, whereas some of the virus in the blood plasma seemed genetically distinct from the virus in CD4+ T cells. This result shows that circulating CD4+ T cells are not the only source of residual viremia, and it suggests that a novel cellular source may contribute significantly to ongoing virus production under HAART. This research was featured by Science Daily.
