Faculty

MinKyung Yi, PhD

Associate Professor
miyi@utmb.edu
GNL 5.200H, Route 0610
Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Phone: (409) 266-6905
Fax: (409) 266-6810

Education:	PhD | 1997 | Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Japan
	MS | 1992 | Pohang Institute of Science and Technology, Life Science, Korea
	BS | 1990 | Seoul National Unversity, College of Pharmacy, Korea

Overview

Replication of hepatitis A virus and hepatitis C virus

Research Interests

Hepatitis C virus is a small, enveloped, positive-stranded RNA virus belonging to the family Flaviviridae. The majority of cases of HCV infection become chronic, and HCV often leads to serious liver diseases, including chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. HCV infection has also been linked to metabolic diseases, such as NAFLD (non alcoholic fatty liver disease) and type 2 diabetes. Our laboratory is involved in research to dissect the mechanism of HCV replication. Our current research focuses on three major areas. First, we are studying the role of viral nonstructural proteins in infectious particle formation. Second, we are interested in understanding the viral perturbation of the host lipoprotein synthesis pathway during viral egress. Third, we are interested in the mechanism of HCV- induced cytopathogenicity. We developed a cell culture infectious genotype 1a H77S strain that had been proven to cause chronic infection in a chimpanzee. We also have an access to a genotype 2a JFH1 strain which caused acute infection in the chimpanzees. Having both of these infectious clones of HCV gives us a major advantage in studying HCV replication and virus-host interaction.

Recent Publications

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