In this fascinating episode of Micro Journeys, host Daniel Marrujo sits down with Dr. Dan Jaines, a professor of bioinformatics and genomics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and head of the Center for Computational Intelligence to Predict Environmental and Health Risks (CIPHER). From the picturesque setting in North Carolina, Dan shares his career journey—from a childhood fascination with animals, to studying starfish genomes in New York, to pioneering computational analysis at Ohio State Medical School, and now leading cutting-edge research on infectious diseases and AI-driven predictive models.

The conversation dives deeply into zoonotic diseases, the evolutionary pathways of viruses like coronaviruses and influenza, and why bats and birds serve as perfect reservoirs for these pathogens. Dan explains how computational biology and AI tools like AlphaFold are revolutionizing the speed at which researchers can predict viral structures and anticipate the impact of mutations on treatments and vaccines. They also explore the sobering realities of H5N1 avian influenza's growing "promiscuity," its increasing ability to infect diverse species—including humans—and the looming concern over drug resistance.

Despite the challenges, Dr. Jaines highlights a multi-layered approach to mitigating these threats: better biosecurity on farms, PPE for workers, vigilant computational tracking of mutations, and the push for improved vaccines. Through collaborative “team science,” state investment, and the new Research 1 designation at UNC Charlotte, his center is amplifying vital insights that not only shape academic research but also inform national preparedness against emerging biological risks.

• (01:33) How Dr. Jaines’ early love for animals evolved into tracking zoonotic diseases like coronaviruses and bird flu.
• (03:12) Why bats are uniquely suited to harbor viruses without getting sick, and how that spills over to humans.
• (16:15) The story of building a “mini-supercomputer” in New York to process massive genomic datasets and trace virus evolution.
• (28:00) How AI tools like AlphaFold helped predict why existing vaccines might struggle against Omicron, long before lab data caught up.
• (30:29) The concerning reality of H5N1: a bird flu virus now infecting over 250 species, getting better at entering mammalian cells—and what that means for humans.
• (46:40) The promise (and risks) of publishing preprint research fast during pandemics, and how UNC Charlotte’s new R1 status is accelerating high-impact discoveries.

• Daniel Marrujo
• Dan Jaines
• TSS Website

Learn more about TSS: https://tss.llc/micro-journeys-podcast/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.