Undergraduate Research & Scholarships

Bryan Castillo-Rojas Rose Hills

Investigating Flavivirus NS1's Role in Facilitating Viral Dissemination

Dengue virus (DENV) is a vector-borne virus that is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Typically found in tropical and sub-tropical regions in the world, DENV can cause mild disease manifestations like dengue fever; however, cases of severe dengue disease exist and are characterized by vascular leakage and shock, which is triggered by virus infection and an overactive immune response. Medically important viruses like flaviviruses (dengue, Zika, West Nile, and yellow fever viruses, etc.) must disseminate from the initial site of infection into diverse tissues throughout the body to cause disease. Therefore, my summer research project will focus on the role of dengue virus NS1-mediated leak in virus infection and dissemination in vivo.

Message To Sponsor

I am greatly appreciated for this opportunity to conduct research at UC Berkeley this summer. This funding will provide me to focus my time on a project that can greatly impact research and provide insight to the mechanisms that cause disease. Your aid is greatly impactful and allows students like myself to experience a once in a life time opportunity.