Valerie Le Sage, PhD

  • Research Assistant Professor
  • Microbiology & Molecular Genetics

Education & Training

  • PhD in Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, 2009
  • MSc in Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, 2005
  • BSc in Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, 2003

Research Interests

Influenza A and B viruses pose a substantial public health threat that claims around 36,000 lives during seasonal epidemics, and potentially even more during occasional pandemics. Influenza viruses have a segmented genome that facilitates reassortment of viruses in nature, which leads to increased viral diversity and the emergence of influenza viruses with pandemic potential. My research explores the viral and host determinants that facilitate airborne transmission of influenza viruses, which will provide a better understanding as to why certain seasonal viruses are more successful at causing epidemics.