Shih-Ching Lin

Background

About Shih-Ching Lin

I studied viral-host interactions and the host immune responses against dengue virus (DENV) infection to obtain my master’s degree in National Taiwan University (NTU). After that, I joined the Drosophila Neurology lab in NTU to gain research experience. There, I developed a single RNA-guided nuclease CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate transgenic flies. During that time, I applied to Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) to pursue a doctoral degree in the United States. Next, I obtained my PhD degree in the Program in Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences (IMBS) by completing my thesis work in Dr. Mary K. Estes's lab in the Molecular Virology and Microbiology Department. My primary research interest was to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that regulate productive infection of human norovirus (HuNoV) in the human intestinal enteroid (HIE) model, and to improve HuNoV cultivation efficiency. Right now I am pursuing advanced research training in the field of host-pathogen interactions and Immunology as a postdoctoral researcher in the United States.After obtaining my Ph.D. degree, I joined Dr. Michael S. Diamond's lab in Department of Internal Medicine at WashU as a postdoctoral research associate. My primary focus is to study the innate and adaptive immune responses upon flavivirus infection and pathogenesis, especially West Nile virus (WNV). I am working on utilizing human intestinal organoid primary culture with animal models to investigate viral-host interactions and gut epithelial responses upon WNV infection. The long-term goals are to understand the detailed mechanisms, involved cell types and signaling pathways contributing to WNV-induced gut leakage and systematic inflammation, and develop new therapies to prevent or treat WNV encephalitis. I am also collaborating with other labs in WashU to identify uncharacterized enteric viruses and phages with the organoid model.