The research of the Molecular Virology group focuses on rotavirus, a zoonotic viral infection that causes potentially fatal gastroenteritis in the young of various species, including humans and livestock. Specifically, children under five and infants are at risk of severe dehydrating diarrhoea. The group follows a two-pronged research approach: understanding rotavirus biology and applied research involving next-generation vaccine development. The group collaborates with scientists at various institutions in South Africa, Mozambique, Argentina, Australia, and Germany.

Subunit vaccine development through the microbial production of rotavirus-like particles and viral proteins in yeast and bacteria is being explored as an alternative low-cost rotavirus vaccine for use in Africa, in collaboration with Prof Koos Albertyn (UFS) and Dr Martin Blasco (National Institute of Industrial Technology, Argentina). Double-layered particles (DLP) consisting of the VP2 and VP6 capsid proteins are vaccine development targets, in addition to recombinantly produced proteins, including VP6, the outer-capsid spike protein VP4, and NSP4, a non-structural protein.

Recombinant rotaviruses are rescued for the rational design of next-generation rotavirus vaccines using a complete plasmid-based reverse genetics system. This work is performed in collaboration with Prof Albie van Dijk (North-West University) and Prof Reimar Johne (Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Germany). The reverse genetics system is also used to improve our understanding of evolutionary processes such as reassortment and rotavirus-host interactions, specifically the role of lipids during rotavirus infection, in collaboration with Prof Carlien Pohl (UFS). This collaboration has recently been expanded to investigate possible interkingdom interactions between the gut colonising yeast, Candida albicans, and rotavirus.