Infectious Diseases (ID)

The SMART Infectious Disease IRG (ID-IRG) seeks fundamental understanding of host-pathogen interactions as well as direct impact on human health through translational research. The ID-IRG focuses on infectious diseases that have major impact on human health, including influenza, dengue fever, malaria and tuberculosis.

The strategy of the IRG is to develop enabling technologies, including humanized mouse model, high throughput single cell assay, high resolution proteonomics, glycomics, metabolomics and cellular mechanics platforms, to study infectious diseases using novel approaches and from new angles. The ID-IRG has developed an integrated, cutting-edge research program with participation of both MIT faculty and investigators from Singapore universities and research institutes.

The mission is to advance basic understanding of pathogen-host interactions at the molecular, cellular and systems levels:
(1) Use this basic knowledge to develop diagnostics, prophylactics and therapeutics for specific diseases.
(2) Train a new generation of scientific leaders in infectious disease research.

Major Research Areas:

INFLUENZA

Influenza Infection and Transmission -- Apply integrated glycomics approaches to understand and predict viral binding and infectivity to improve diagnostics and prediction of transmission of pandemic and seasonal influenza globally, regionally and in Singapore.

The Host Immune Responses and Coorelated Cytotoxicty -- Develop a systems level understanding of the host pathology in influenza infection and Predictive susceptibility factors and new understanding of bacterial secondary infections, with impact on patient management and healthcare cost in Singapore.

Tissue Repair -- Elucidate molecular and cellular mechanisms of repair of influenza virus-induced lung tissue damage with Mechanistic insights into pathophysiology of pulmonary inflammation in flu infections, serving as the basis for new interventions.

Biomarkers -- Discovery and application of biomarkers in the prognosis and intervention of influenza infection with an impact on health care costs and hospitalization management in Singapore.

DENGUE PROGRAM

Dengue Infection and Transmission -- Apply integrated glycomics approaches to understand and predict Dengue virus binding and infectivity to develop a platform for predictive and therapeutic application in severity of Dengue infection and other flavi-viruses in Singapore and region.

RNA-based Mechanisms in Dengue Pathogenesis -- Development of a broad-based RNA platform for identification of therapeutic targets and fundamental understanding of viral pathophysiology and identification of antiviral drug targets.

Biomarkers of Dengue Infection -- Discovery and application of biomarkers in the prognosis and intervention of Dengue infection with its impact on hospital management and healthcare cost in Singapore.

Humanized Mouse Model for Dengue Infection -- Development of novel animal model platform of Dengue infection wth focus on viral pathophysiology and novel therapeutics.

MALARIA AND TUBERCULOSIS PROGRAM

Mechano-biology of Malaria Pathogenesis -- Development of a uniquely comprehensive platform for discovery and elucidation of mechanics-based pathways in malaria pathogenesis offering an entirely new perspective on targets for developing malaria therapeutics.

RNA-based Mechanisms of Malaria Pathogenesis -- Development of a broad-based platform for identification of RNA-based mechanisms controlling the malaria life cycle and the pathophysiology of infection, identifying new antibiotic targets and to improve the fundamental understanding of microbial pathophysiology and host-pathogen interactions.

Humanized Mouse Model of Malaria Infection -- Development of novel animal model platform of malaria infection providing a unique tool to study the malarial pathophysiology and screening for novel therapeutics.

RNA-based Mechanisms in Tuberculosis -- Development of a broad-based platform for understanding the role of RNA modifications in the pathophysiology of tuberculosis infection and latency and to identify new antibiotic targets and gain a more fundamental understanding of mycobacterial pathophysiology and host-pathogen interactions.