dr. Sebenzile Myeni

Curriculum Vitae

I obtained my PhD in Biological Sciences from Purdue University (USA), where I studied host-pathogen interactions during bacterial infection in the group of Prof. D. Zhou . I subsequently joined the laboratory of Prof. Jean Celli at the NIH, where I investigated how intracellular vacuolar pathogens manipulate host cell pathways to establish replication niches. This work shaped my interest in how pathogens exploit the organization and function of host cells. I later transitioned into virology during my postdoctoral training at University Hospital Frankfurt (Germany), focusing on virus-host interactions and restriction factors. In 2018, I joined the Molecular Virology group at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), where I currently work  on coronavirus-host interactions, combining in vitro and in vivo infection models with molecular and cellular approaches.

Research

My research focuses on how viruses interact with and modify host cell organelles during infection. Rather than studying individual host factors in isolation, my group investigates how infection reshapes broader cellular processes, including innate immune responses, membrane dynamics, and organelle function. In particular, we examine how lipid droplets and their interactions with other cellular compartments contribute to viral replication and host responses. Using a multidisciplinary approach combining virology, genetics, cell biology, and organelle-resolved proteomics and lipidomics, we define how infection alters the composition and function of lipid droplets. These studies provide insight into how viruses exploit host cell organization to support replication and influence disease outcomes.

While lipid droplets serve as a key entry point, our broader goal is to understand how organelle function and inter-organelle interactions shape infection biology and reveal host pathways that can be targeted for antiviral intervention. In parallel, my group contributes to antiviral and vaccine research through national and international initiatives, including various EU-funded programs, ZonMw and CEPI.