Megan O’Connor

The goal of my research program is to develop novel models of viral infection and co-infections and to understand viral pathogenesis, evaluate immune responses, and develop vaccine and treatment strategies for emerging infectious diseases. My research program focuses on emerging co-infections in people living with HIV to 1) understand risks of co-infection, 2) determine immune responses and novel immune pathways associated with pathogenesis, 3) evaluate alterations in the host microbiome and impact on disease pathology and 4) to use pre-clinical models to evaluate vaccines and therapeutics in people living with HIV.