MI2025 – Lloyd Noriega

Title:
Bidirectional Investigation of Host factor in SARS-CoV-2 infection in Adipocytes

Abstract:
Obesity is a significant risk factor for worsening SARS-CoV-2 infection, leading to complications such as malnutrition, systemic inflammation, and myocardial dysfunction. However, the precise mechanisms by which obesity increase susceptibility and severity of SARS-CoV-2 remain poorly understood. Based on these preliminary findings, we hypothesize that ACE2 expression is increased in differentiated adipocytes, which may enhance SARS-CoV-2 infection in these cells.

We propose to pursue three specific aims to identify novel host factors that facilitate viral infection in adipocytes: (1) To measure the expression levels of ACE2 receptors at various stages of adipocyte maturation. (2) To identify important Gene related to SARS-COV-2 entry into Adipocyte (3) To Validate identified host factors through targeted knockout and overexpression studies. To this end, we will utilize a bidirectional study of genome-wide CRISPR overexpression library system and CRISPR knockout library system in combination with ACE2 overexpression to mimic the ACE2 expression levels observed in obese individuals. We will then employ SARS- CoV-2 spike pseudovirus (Vpp) infection in adipocytes. This approach enables systematic identification and validation of host factors essential for viral entry. Our findings may offer key insights into the molecular dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection within adipocytes and may establish a novel therapeutic strategy targeting virus-host interactions. These insights will be important for developing novel therapeutic strategies against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Biography:
Lloyd Noriega is a Ph.D. student at the Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University (CMU) in Taichung, Taiwan. He conducts his research at both CMU and the Genomics Research Center (GRC), Academia Sinica in Taipei. His research passion lies at the intersection of metabolism, virology, and functional genomics, with a particular focus on how obesity alters susceptibility and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Using CRISPR-Cas9 genome-wide screening in adipocyte models, Lloyd aims to identify host factors that regulate viral entry and replication, with the broader goal of developing host-targeted antiviral strategies. Originally from the Philippines, he earned his master’s degree in biotechnology from Asia University in Taiwan. He recently passed his Ph.D. qualifying examination at CMU and remains committed to uncovering how virus-host interactions are shaped by metabolic dysfunction, particularly in the context of emerging infectious diseases.