Ashleigh Shannon

Head of the “Viral Genome Stability” thematic group

Funding: ERC Starting Grant: NidoRep – 101162788 (2025 – 2029)

My research is focused on deciphering the differences in viral replication and transcription between small- and large genome viruses of the order Nidovirales. For the most-part, many of these viruses have been neglected, with the exception of the large-genome Coronaviridae (CoV) family (32 kb), which includes the notorious human pathogen SARS-CoV-2. At the other end of the size-spectrum the small-genome Arteriviridae (ArV) family (11 kb) contains several prevalent, animal-infecting pathogens. I am interested in how key viral enzymes, including notably the viral polymerase and its N-terminal unique domain (the NiRAN) have evolved to precisely regulate viral replication at a structural and functional level. In particular, my research aims to determine how these enzymes have been fine-tuned to accommodate the distinct and conflicting replication requirements of such highly diverse nidoviruses.

– October 2023 – present: CNRS (CRCN)
– April 2018 – September 2023: Postdoctoral researcher AFMB/UMR7257, Réplication virale, structure, mécanismes & Drug-design, Dr. B. Canard (Marseille, France)
– Dec 2016 – Mar 2018: VAXXAS Industry Research Scientist, Translational Research Institute (TRI), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
– March 2013 – June 2017: PhD thesis, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Australia. Supervisors: Professor Paul Young and Dr Keith Chappell. Thesis title: Dengue virus NS2B-NS3 protease as a target for inhibitor-drugs