Erica Españo, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

PROFILE

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Korea University Sejong Campus, Sejong City, South Korea

PhD in Pharmacy (Major in Life Science), Korea University Sejong Campus, Sejong City, South Korea

MSc Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Philippines 

BS Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Philippines 

 

CONTACT

PUBLICATIONS

LABORATORY

  • Laboratory of Human and Animal Viruses​

Laboratory of Human and Animal Viruses

The Laboratory of Human and Animal Viruses (LHAV) is a research laboratory for basic and translational virology research. The lab uses various cell culture models to study virus-virus interactions, virus-host interactions, and to determine potential antivirals. Majority of the viruses of interest in this laboratory are RNA viruses of human and veterinary relevance, including Zika virus, dengue virus, influenza viruses, and coronaviruses.

Research Area

  1. Antiviral discovery. There remain no therapeutic agents against mosquito-borne viruses, such as Zika virus and dengue virus. In LHAV, natural products with bioactivity are screened for their ability to inhibit replication of arthropod-borne viruses. Candidates are further explored to determine their targets in the infection cycle of these viruses through classical and molecular techniques in virology.
  2. Interactions between mosquito-infecting viruses. Mosquito-specific viruses have been observed to inhibit replication of human pathogens that are transmitted by mosquitoes (e.g. Zika virus and dengue virus). These mosquito-specific viruses have the potential for application as a mosquito-targeted control measure for the circulation of mosquito-borne pathogens. LHAV is interested in exploring whether Philippine isolates of these mosquito-specific viruses can inhibit Zika virus replication in cell culture models. This study is a first step in determining the feasibility of such a system for controlling circulation of Zika virus and related viruses.

Selected Publications

Españo E, Nam JH, Song EJ, Song D, Lee CK & JK Kim. Lipophilic statins inhibit Zika virus production in Vero cells. Scientific Reports, 2019, 9: 11461, doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-47956-1.

Españo E, Kim J, Lee K & JK Kim. Phytochemicals for the treatment of COVID-19. Journal of Microbiology, 2021, 59(11):959-977, doi: 10.1007/s12275-021-1467-z.

Song EJ†, Españo E†, Shim SM†, Nam JH, Kim J, Lee K, Park SK, Lee CK, & Kim JK. Inhibitory effects of aprotinin on influenza A and B viruses in vitro and in vivo. Scientific Reports, 2021, 11(1):9427. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-88886-1.

Españo E, Shim SM, Song EJ, Nam JH, Jeong SH, Padasas BT, Kim SH & JK Kim. Surveillance of avian influenza viruses from 2014 to 2018 in South Korea. Scientific Reports 2023, 24, 13:8410, doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-35365-4.

Song EJ, Españo E, Nam JH, Kim JY, Shim KS, Shin EJ, Lee CK & JK Kim. Adjuvanticity of processed Aloe vera gel for influenza vaccination in mice. Immune Network, 2020, 20(4):e31, doi: 10.4110/in.2020.20.e31.