The Chattopadhyay Lab in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG) at The University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, is looking for scientist (this is a senior level post-doctoral position) to work on NIH-funded projects. This position will have independence to develop new research grants in the future. Our laboratory is interested in studying host-virus interaction, particularly how the interferon system protects against virus infection. In this context, we focus on the transcription factors Interferon Regulatory Factors, which are essential for inhibiting viral replication in vitro and in vivo. Our recent work demonstrated the noncanonical functions of these proteins, most importantly independent of their transcriptional activities (Fan et al., JBC, 2024; Glanz et al. Viruses, 2020, 2021; Chattopadhyay et al. Immunity, 2016, J. Virol, 2013, 2011, EMBO J 2010). We are interested in studying these functions in viral or non-viral diseases using knockout and knock-in mouse models. IRFs, upon activation by virus infection, transcriptionally induce many antiviral genes, such as interferons and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). The protein products of these ISGs inhibit specific stages of the viral life cycle, thereby inhibiting virus replication. Because a single ISG cannot inhibit all viruses, it is important to investigate virus-specific ISGs. Using high throughput screening approaches, we began to identify novel viral restriction mechanisms (Chakravarty et al., mBio, 2023, Autop Rep, 2022; Subramanian et al., JBC 2020, PLOS Pathogens, 2018). These mechanisms will be tested in vivo using appropriate viral pathogenesis models. Currently, we have several ongoing projects in our laboratory to study these new functions of the IFN system in viral and non-viral pathogenesis. If you are interested in learning more about our research or in these positions, please reach out to me at saurabh.chattopadhyay@uky.edu.