Boonyaratanakornkit Lab

Boonyaratanakornkit Lab

Boonyaratanakornkit Lab logo with lake in background

Eastlake building

Fred Hutch and Steam Plant campus

Cherry blossoms with Fred Hutch building in background

Lab of Humoral Immunity to Viral Infections

Our lab studies viruses that afflict vulnerable patients. Vulnerable patients are individuals at heightened risk for serious complications or death. They can include but are not limited to patients with cancer, immunocompromised and transplant patients, people with chronic medical conditions, infants, children, and older adults. We study the immune system using highly sensitive techniques to identify protective responses against viruses. We leverage this information to develop immune-based therapies with the goal of improving the care of vulnerable patients.

Current projects in the lab are aimed at studying rare B cells targeting common viruses, like respiratory syncytial virus, metapneumovirus, parainfluenza viruses, coronaviruses, and cytomegalovirus. In parallel, our lab is engineering antibodies to enhance their ability to prevent and treat viral infections in vulnerable patients. The work in our lab is patient-centered and spans the entire spectrum of translational science, including basic research, preclinical models, clinical trials, implementation, and public health.
 

Examples of Lab Accomplishments

  • Developed a preclinical co-infection model for RSV and HPIV3
  • Developed a cross-neutralizing monoclonal antibody against HPIV3 and HPIV1
  • Identified a novel antigenic site on the fusion protein of HPIV3
  • Identified high rates of discordance between the upper and lower respiratory tracts for the detection of several common respiratory viruses in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.
  • Identified the homeless as a previously unrecognized population at increased risk for poor outcomes after infection with RSV