Rate My Professor Ade Whitehouse

Whitehouse's research specializes in virology, with a focus on oncogenic viruses including Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and Merkel cell polyomavirus, which contribute to around 15% of human cancers worldwide. His laboratory investigates how these viruses manipulate host cell pathways to facilitate replication and oncogenesis, emphasizing areas such as RNA processing, translational control, epitranscriptomics, and non-coding RNA regulatory networks. Employing omic technologies like transcriptomics and quantitative proteomics, his work identifies key virus-host interactions for the development of antiviral therapies. Ongoing projects explore the pro-viral roles of RNA modifications such as m6A in KSHV replication, virus-induced specialized ribosomes for translation control, and manipulation of host ncRNA networks. He develops novel therapeutic strategies using structural-based rational drug design, virtual high-throughput screening, and virus-based assays to target virus-host interactions. Whitehouse received the Microbiology Society's Fleming Prize in 2005 for his contributions to understanding the latent-lytic switch in gamma-2 herpesviruses. His research has attracted substantial funding from bodies including the Medical Research Council and Wellcome Trust, supporting major grants for projects on viral RNA processing and host-virus interactions in KSHV-related malignancies.