Endogenous Retroviruses and Where to Find Them: A Journey Through Health and Disease

We’ve all heard about the microbiome, but what about the virome? Your virome, or the collection of viruses living in and on you, outnumbers the microbiome 10:1. One part of this virome is encoded within your DNA—endogenous retroviruses, or ERVs, contribute to eight percent of human DNA and can have both beneficial and detrimental effects on the host (you). In this talk, you will gain insight into where these ERVs come from, what they’re doing in the body, and how our immune system controls them. Using multiple sclerosis as a case study, you will learn how these inner viruses contribute to disease and how we can target them to prevent disease.
 

Erin Evans (she/her) is a 3rd year PhD student in the department of Microbiology and Immunology at UBC. She was born in the UK and grew up in New Zealand. Her work focuses on ancient viruses embedded in the human genome and their possible role in causing multiple sclerosis. Outside of the lab, she is a swim coach, plays water polo, and champions neurodiversity acceptance, showing that society has room for, and thrives with, all neurotypes.