Con Sonza
Professor
Microbiology and Immunology
Doherty Institute
Australia
Biography
Dr Con Sonza has over 30 years’ experience in virology research, firstly working on characterisation of human rotavirus, on which he completed his PhD. He then spent more than 25 years working on HIV, with particular emphasis on persistent infection in primary target cells of the virus - monocytes, macrophages and CD4 T cells. His recent focus, in Professor Damian Purcell’s laboratory, has been latently infected, resting CD4 T cells, which is the major reservoir of virus in the body and target for a functional cure. In addition, he also works on the importance of the HIV Tat protein to the establishment and maintenance of latency. In 2016, he is returning to working on rotavirus infection with Associate Professor Barbara Coulson, specifically how the virus may accelerate the development of type 1 diabetes in susceptible children.
Research Interest
HIV
