D. Boris-Lawrie has extensive expertise in the fields of retrovirology and gene expression and training graduate students that are successful in the biomedical workforce. She has had the opportunity to lead (PI) or collaborate (co-I) on NIH funded grants (R01, P50, P01) and establish a track record in team building, which has resulted in several publications in peer-reviewed journals. Her research is focused on unraveling genetic, biochemical and biophysical interactions of ribonucleoprotein complexes using viral models to understand progression to cancer and productive infections. In ground-breaking work, Dr. Boris-Lawrie and her lab group discovered and characterized of the necessary role of RNA helicase A/DHX9 in the translation of selected viral and host mRNAs, which has led to the realization nuclear RNA-binding proteins regulate protein synthesis in the cytoplasm. These studies also led to the discovery of the functional and structural conservation of the DHX9-responsive element across the Retroviridae and in RNAs expressed by animals and humans. Dr. Boris-Lawrie's mechanistic studies are exposing non-coding RNA-based therapeutic target to control disorders caused by viruses and transformed cells. 

Retroviruses, Oncogenic viruses, Viral vectors, RNA structural biology, RNA-protein interactions

Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology

Fellow, AAAS