Abstract
Influenza A viruses cause epidemics and pandemics in human populations, inflicting enormous suffering and economical loss. Currently, two distinct strategies - vaccines and small molecule therapeutics ? are utilized to control the spread of influenza. Vaccination offers limited protection and is hampered by logistic challenges. Although there are four antiviral drugs for treatment and/or prophylaxis of influenza, their use is limited because of concerns about side effects, compliance, and the possible emergence of resistant virus. RNA interference (RNAi) is a process by which double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) directs sequence-specific degradation of messenger RNA (mRNA). We have found that siRNAs specific for conserved regions of the viral genome can potently inhibit influenza virus production in cell lines, embryonated chicken eggs and mice. Because RNA is negatively charged and does not enter cells readily, development of siRNA as an antiviral for influenza intervention requires efficient delivery methods. Our studies on the development of influenza-specific siRNA and siRNA delivery will be discussed. The model may serve as a paradigm for siRNA-based therapeutic development.

About the Speaker
Jianzhu Chen is a professor at the Department of Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Prof. Chen received a B.S. degree from Wuhan University in China and a Ph.D. degree from Stanford University. He was a postdoctorial fellow and then an instructor at Harvard Medical School before he joined the faculty in the Department of Biology, MIT. Prof. Chen's research focuses on the development and function of the immune system, including the assembly of antigen receptor genes and its defect in lymphoma development, as well as the immune response and memory to virus infection. The latter study led to the development of RNA interference of influenza virus infection.