Anna Haider Rubio

PhD student

Background

I obtained my Bachelor’s degree at Wageningen University, where my thesis focused on the effects of ocean pollution and climate warming on coral bleaching. I then completed two Master’s degrees at the University of Groningen, specializing in Marine Biology (with a focus on Science, Business and Policy) and Biomedical Sciences. During my Master’s projects, I worked on host–pathogen interactions, explored novel approaches to cancer treatment, investigated viruses infecting seagrasses, and contributed to circular economy initiatives on the Galápagos Islands.

Project

I am currently a PhD candidate working on the influence of mosquito-borne flaviviruses on the evolution and spread of yellow fever and zika virus. I will combine experimental evolution and deep sequencing to analyze how these interactions influence viral genetic diversity. I will also investigate how changes in viral populations affect traits such as replication and transmission, and how the innate immune system contributes to these processes. I hope to help improve our understanding of viral evolution and contribute to better ways to predict and limit the spread of arboviruses.

Funding

My PhD project is supported by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) under the VIDI project “How do viruses evolve when they are not alone?”.