
Akhil Chameettachal, Ph.D.
- Center for Cancer Research
- National Cancer Institute
RESEARCH SUMMARY
Akhil Chameettachal earned his Ph.D. degree in 2021 from the United Arab Emirates University, UAE. Dr. Chameettachal’s Ph.D. thesis research focused on retroviral RNA structural biology and protein-RNA interactions, with a special interest on understanding the molecular mechanisms of retroviral genomic RNA packaging. In Wei-Shau Hu’s lab, he is currently investigating the mechanisms of non-viral RNA encapsidation by HIV-1 Gag during the virus particle assembly process. He is also exploring the utility of a complementary reporter assay for screening pan-coronavirus 3CL protease inhibitors.
Areas of Expertise
1) Retroviral replication 2) RNA packaging and assembly 3) RNA structural biology 4) Protein purification 5) Molecular biology