Ana Margarida Lopes

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) is a highly fatal calicivirus affecting the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), with severe impact in its population dynamics. Rabbit caliciviruses are incredibly diverse, and pathogenic and non-pathogenic forms with >20% divergence are found circulating in the field. In 2010, a new RHDV variant emerged with unique features.

I am interested in studying the co-evolution between the new RHDV variant (RHDV2) and the host by taking advantage of the recent emergence of this variant. The main focus of my work has been evaluating the adaptation of RHDV2 to rabbit populations with distinct genetic background, characterizing the virulence of RHDV2 strains and compare the host immune response to RHDV2-induced disease with infection by other pathogenic or non-pathogenic rabbit caliciviruses.