Respiratory infections are the fourth leading cause of death globally. New strategies are needed to combat respiratory viruses that can become resistant to current therapies and to prepare for future emerging respiratory virus threats. As viruses are fully dependent on host cell metabolism to provide materials required for viral replication, can we exploit this vulnerability by altering whole-body metabolism? We manipulate dietary nutrients in multiple models of infection to identify metabolic vulnerabilities that could treat viral diseases. We also define metabolic differences between populations to uncover how sex and age affect disease severity.

Cancer incidence and severity increase with age, but are there age-specific changes in metabolism that contribute to these effects? We are answering this question using virus-driven cancer models in vitro and in vivo, using genetic and metabolic techniques to develop new targeted therapeutic strategies. As sex is also a risk factor for developing some cancers, we are also asking if there are sex-specific differences in metabolism that contribute to cancers in people who are elderly. Our goal is to ensure that our therapeutic strategies are correctly targeted based on age and sex, increasing the chance of a successful translation into the clinic.