About My Research
Dr. Ashrafali is an investigator in the field of virology. He earned his PhD in 2013 from Christian Medical College in Vellore, India, where his research focused on hepatitis B virus genomics and antiviral resistance mechanisms. Following the completion of his academic program, Dr. Ashrafali joined the Chodosh laboratory at Mass. Eye and Ear, where he researches the biology and evolution of human adenoviruses that are associated with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, a severe and contagious eye infection. There is currently no antiviral treatment for this disease.
Dr. Ashrafali’s research interests includes
- Evolutionary analysis of human adenoviruses
- Genome-wide binding profiles of transcription factors to adenoviral DNA and its gene regulation
- Virus-host protein interactions using affinity purification and mass spectrometry methods
- Viral DNA sensors and immune evasion strategies
Education
2004: BSc, Microbiology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, TN, India
2006: MSc, Applied Microbiology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, TN, India
2013: PhD, Clinical Virology, Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore, TN, India
Postgraduate Training
2018: Research Fellowship, Ophthalmology, Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Academic Appointments
2018: Instructor in Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School
Professional Memberships
2014-present: Member, American Society for Virology
2014-present: Member, International Adenovirus Meeting
2014-present: Member, Program in Quantitative Genomics, Harvard School of Public Health
Honors
2016: Travel Award, American Society for Virology
2017: Travel Award, Harvard Program in Quantitative Genomics
- Genomics-based re-examination of the taxonomy and phylogeny of human and simian Mastadenoviruses: An evolving whole genomes approach, revealing putative zoonosis, anthroponosis, and amphizoonosis. Cladistics. 2020; 36(4):358-373.
- Genomic foundations of evolution and ocular pathogenesis in human adenovirus species D. FEBS Lett. 2019 12; 593(24):3583-3608.
- Disparate Entry of Adenoviruses Dictates Differential Innate Immune Responses on the Ocular Surface. Microorganisms. 2019 Sep 13; 7(9).
- A Zoonotic Adenoviral Human Pathogen Emerged through Genomic Recombination among Human and Nonhuman Simian Hosts. J Virol. 2019 09 15; 93(18).
- Divergent Evolution of E1A CR3 in Human Adenovirus Species D. Viruses. 2019 02 08; 11(2).
- Impact of dynamin 2 on adenovirus nuclear entry. Virology. 2019 03; 529:43-56.
- Rapid Construction of a Replication-Competent Infectious Clone of Human Adenovirus Type 14 by Gibson Assembly. Viruses. 2018 10 18; 10(10).
- Adenoviromics: Mining the Human Adenovirus Species D Genome. Front Microbiol. 2018; 9:2178.
- Bacterial RecA Protein Promotes Adenoviral Recombination during In Vitro Infection. mSphere. 2018 06 27; 3(3).
- Genomic analysis of a large set of currently-and historically-important human adenovirus pathogens. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2018 Feb 07; 7(1):10.
- Selection Pressure in the Human Adenovirus Fiber Knob Drives Cell Specificity in Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis. J Virol. 2016 Nov 01; 90(21):9598-9607.
- Characterization of hepatitis B virus surface antigen variability and impact on HBs antigen clearance under nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy. J Viral Hepat. 2016 May; 23(5):387-98.
- Recombination of the epsilon determinant and corneal tropism: Human adenovirus species D types 15, 29, 56, and 69. Virology. 2015 Nov; 485:452-9.
- Mother to child transmission of hepatitis B virus: a cause for concern. Indian J Med Microbiol. 2015 Feb; 33 Suppl:140-3.
- Performance of LigAmp assay for sensitive detection of drug-resistant hepatitis B virus minor variants in comparison with standard nucleotide sequencing. Mol Diagn Ther. 2014 Dec; 18(6):655-63.
- Lamivudine monotherapy in chronic hepatitis B patients from the Indian subcontinent: antiviral resistance mutations and predictive factors of treatment response. Mol Diagn Ther. 2014 Feb; 18(1):63-71.
- Molecular epidemiology and genetic characterization of hepatitis B virus in the Indian subcontinent. Int J Infect Dis. 2014 Mar; 20:1-10.
- Antiviral efficacy of adefovir dipivoxil in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B subjects from Indian subcontinent. Indian J Med Microbiol. 2014 Jan-Mar; 32(1):60-3.
- Serum HBsAg quantification in treatment-naïve Indian patients with chronic hepatitis B. Indian J Gastroenterol. 2014 Mar; 33(2):131-5.
- Further evidence of hepatitis B virus genotype I circulation in Northeast India. Infect Genet Evol. 2013 Aug; 18:60-5.
- Virological response and antiviral resistance mutations in chronic hepatitis B subjects experiencing entecavir therapy: an Indian subcontinent perspective. Antiviral Res. 2013 May; 98(2):209-16.
- Impact of rtI233V mutation in hepatitis B virus polymerase protein and adefovir efficacy: Homology modeling and molecular docking studies. Bioinformation. 2013; 9(3):121-5.
- Low frequency of occult hepatitis B infection in anti-HBc seropositive blood donors: experience from a tertiary care centre in South India. Blood Transfus. 2012 Apr; 10(2):230-2.
- Performance characteristics and comparison of Abbott and artus real-time systems for hepatitis B virus DNA quantification. J Clin Microbiol. 2011 Sep; 49(9):3215-21.
- Association of HLA and TNF polymorphisms with the outcome of HBV infection in the South Indian population. Genes Immun. 2011 Oct; 12(7):552-8.
- Antiviral resistance mutations and genotype-associated amino acid substitutions in treatment-naïve hepatitis B virus-infected individuals from the Indian subcontinent. Intervirology. 2012; 55(1):36-44.
- Association of mannose-binding lectin polymorphisms and HBV outcome in a South Indian population. Int J Immunogenet. 2010 Jun; 37(3):177-84.
- Do we need an 'in-house' neutralization assay for confirmation of hepatitis B surface antigen? Answers from a tertiary care hospital in India. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010 May; 25(5):942-5.
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