Vignuzzi Lab
@vignuzzilab.bsky.social
Antiviral therapeutics and virology. ASTAR ID Labs in Singapore. Diversity and compassion in STEM and academia, LGBTQQIP2SAA and anyone under the rainbow. Major in virology, minor in fitness.
Szarina brought in virus snowflake cutout-yourself printouts to prepare for the Singapore winter and Christmas!
November 7, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Szarina brought in virus snowflake cutout-yourself printouts to prepare for the Singapore winter and Christmas!
Today we had a computational virology workshop with Profs. Veronika Bernhauerova (Charles University Czechia) and Bartek Lisowski (Jagiellonian University Krakow, Dr. Spyros Lytras (Univ Tokyo) and Cedric Tan (UCL Crick Institute). 4 hours of chit chat and coming up with ways to collaborate.
November 6, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Today we had a computational virology workshop with Profs. Veronika Bernhauerova (Charles University Czechia) and Bartek Lisowski (Jagiellonian University Krakow, Dr. Spyros Lytras (Univ Tokyo) and Cedric Tan (UCL Crick Institute). 4 hours of chit chat and coming up with ways to collaborate.
Afternoon coffee break at Top Coffee Shop in Asia, number 6 in the world, dunno who’s list but must be an important one: Apartment Cafe. With Veronika Bernhauerova from Charles University Czechia and Bartek Lisowski of Jagiellonian University in Krakow Poland.
November 4, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Afternoon coffee break at Top Coffee Shop in Asia, number 6 in the world, dunno who’s list but must be an important one: Apartment Cafe. With Veronika Bernhauerova from Charles University Czechia and Bartek Lisowski of Jagiellonian University in Krakow Poland.
Welcome to our lab Mingcong (Albert) to our lab! Albert is from Chengdu China and will be an intern in our lab for the next seven months working with Fadi Alnaji.
October 21, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Welcome to our lab Mingcong (Albert) to our lab! Albert is from Chengdu China and will be an intern in our lab for the next seven months working with Fadi Alnaji.
Happy Diwali
Happy Deepavali
To all celebrating in Singapore and beyond!
Happy Deepavali
To all celebrating in Singapore and beyond!
October 20, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Happy Diwali
Happy Deepavali
To all celebrating in Singapore and beyond!
Happy Deepavali
To all celebrating in Singapore and beyond!
Be positive. Love thyself. Try to love others too.
October 13, 2025 at 2:24 AM
Be positive. Love thyself. Try to love others too.
Happening now. Prof. Kartik Chandran, in Singapore this week for the HCV & Flaviviruses conference, is speaking to ID Labs scientists on their coronavirus research.
October 10, 2025 at 4:15 AM
Happening now. Prof. Kartik Chandran, in Singapore this week for the HCV & Flaviviruses conference, is speaking to ID Labs scientists on their coronavirus research.
Had a reminder by my colleague Amit Singhal that two years ago to this day our faculty had a retreat in my medieval village of Noyers-sur-Serein. Missing this clunky old house! 🏰 ❤️
October 6, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Had a reminder by my colleague Amit Singhal that two years ago to this day our faculty had a retreat in my medieval village of Noyers-sur-Serein. Missing this clunky old house! 🏰 ❤️
BUT now, a million years later, my lab is revisiting all this stuff, saRNA vaccines, bacterial delivery systems, oncolytic therapies, with a modern updated touch.
READ this very cool paper by SINGER et al, one of my favourites for 2025 for sure!
READ this very cool paper by SINGER et al, one of my favourites for 2025 for sure!
September 25, 2025 at 6:16 AM
BUT now, a million years later, my lab is revisiting all this stuff, saRNA vaccines, bacterial delivery systems, oncolytic therapies, with a modern updated touch.
READ this very cool paper by SINGER et al, one of my favourites for 2025 for sure!
READ this very cool paper by SINGER et al, one of my favourites for 2025 for sure!
To restrict the spread of the oncolytic virus, they swapped one protease cleavage sites with that of Tobacco Etch virus, so only cells expressing TEVpro from the Salmonella can produce full virus. Cool safety switch!
September 25, 2025 at 6:16 AM
To restrict the spread of the oncolytic virus, they swapped one protease cleavage sites with that of Tobacco Etch virus, so only cells expressing TEVpro from the Salmonella can produce full virus. Cool safety switch!
Impressively, these oncolytic viruses launched from T7 RNA promoter in Salmonella expressing T7 polymerase, significantly reduce tumours at the injection site and at other sites, fully protecting mice against the disease.
September 25, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Impressively, these oncolytic viruses launched from T7 RNA promoter in Salmonella expressing T7 polymerase, significantly reduce tumours at the injection site and at other sites, fully protecting mice against the disease.
They use this bacteria to invade a cell and deliver an oncolytic Senecavirus RNA, which replicates, and spreads to neighbouring tumours.
September 25, 2025 at 6:16 AM
They use this bacteria to invade a cell and deliver an oncolytic Senecavirus RNA, which replicates, and spreads to neighbouring tumours.
When Salmonella infect cells, they hide themselves in a Salmonella Containing Vacuole, the sifA gene helps maintain this vacuole, both these authors and we knocked this gene out so that the Salmonella would fall into the cytoplasm for RNA delivery.
September 25, 2025 at 6:16 AM
When Salmonella infect cells, they hide themselves in a Salmonella Containing Vacuole, the sifA gene helps maintain this vacuole, both these authors and we knocked this gene out so that the Salmonella would fall into the cytoplasm for RNA delivery.
Lab 🌈 at @astar-idlabs.bsky.social annual retreat at Universal Studios Singapore! What’s your colour? Where’s your pot of gold?
September 20, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Lab 🌈 at @astar-idlabs.bsky.social annual retreat at Universal Studios Singapore! What’s your colour? Where’s your pot of gold?
My lab found me in my hiding spot when I try to avoid responsibilities.
Back to work.
Back to work.
September 12, 2025 at 4:44 AM
My lab found me in my hiding spot when I try to avoid responsibilities.
Back to work.
Back to work.
EMBO course in India in Feb 2026:
September 11, 2025 at 5:06 AM
EMBO course in India in Feb 2026:
Congratulations to Jolene Fu from the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur. Today she defended her PhD thesis on COVID immune escape and evolution. Excellent dissertation and oral defence.
Dr. Jolene Fu, PhD!
Dr. Jolene Fu, PhD!
September 9, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Congratulations to Jolene Fu from the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur. Today she defended her PhD thesis on COVID immune escape and evolution. Excellent dissertation and oral defence.
Dr. Jolene Fu, PhD!
Dr. Jolene Fu, PhD!
Immigrant to new Citizens, 1977-1980, Canada. Our Citizenship photos.
Why was my photo different? Always the odd one out!
Why was my photo different? Always the odd one out!
September 8, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Immigrant to new Citizens, 1977-1980, Canada. Our Citizenship photos.
Why was my photo different? Always the odd one out!
Why was my photo different? Always the odd one out!
Welcome to Paul Foucambert! Paul is an MD from France, seeking experience in biomedical sciences, and will be part of our Vignuzzi lab family for the next three years developing new vaccine strategies, learning about molecular virology and sharing his medical and clinical insights.
Welcome Paul!
Welcome Paul!
September 2, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Welcome to Paul Foucambert! Paul is an MD from France, seeking experience in biomedical sciences, and will be part of our Vignuzzi lab family for the next three years developing new vaccine strategies, learning about molecular virology and sharing his medical and clinical insights.
Welcome Paul!
Welcome Paul!
Welcome Dariel Tanoto to our lab!
Dariel is a Research Officer that will be working with our postdoctoral scientist Fish Poh on new RNA therapeutics.
And with that we can add 🇮🇩 to our lab flags!
Dariel is a Research Officer that will be working with our postdoctoral scientist Fish Poh on new RNA therapeutics.
And with that we can add 🇮🇩 to our lab flags!
September 1, 2025 at 5:06 AM
Welcome Dariel Tanoto to our lab!
Dariel is a Research Officer that will be working with our postdoctoral scientist Fish Poh on new RNA therapeutics.
And with that we can add 🇮🇩 to our lab flags!
Dariel is a Research Officer that will be working with our postdoctoral scientist Fish Poh on new RNA therapeutics.
And with that we can add 🇮🇩 to our lab flags!
South East Asian Tick-borne Diseases symposium is happening now at NUS in Singapore.
August 28, 2025 at 2:23 AM
South East Asian Tick-borne Diseases symposium is happening now at NUS in Singapore.
Dr. Gamou Fall visited A*IDL today to present research by her Yellow Fever reference center and the WHO center for arboviruses and hemorrhagic fevers at Institut Pasteur de Dakar in Senegal.
Setting up new collaborations between Singapore and Senegal.
Setting up new collaborations between Singapore and Senegal.
August 27, 2025 at 6:49 AM
Dr. Gamou Fall visited A*IDL today to present research by her Yellow Fever reference center and the WHO center for arboviruses and hemorrhagic fevers at Institut Pasteur de Dakar in Senegal.
Setting up new collaborations between Singapore and Senegal.
Setting up new collaborations between Singapore and Senegal.
What a dynamic team they make! This was the official send off for Cornelius heading to Oxford University for his PhD!
August 14, 2025 at 1:12 AM
What a dynamic team they make! This was the official send off for Cornelius heading to Oxford University for his PhD!
Joined yet another gym! If you are looking for a bright gym, with top notch equipment, and not too busy in the morning, try Max Out Fitness in Raffles Quay. Other location at 313 Somerset. If you’re into Hyrox, it trains those folks in the evenings and weekends.
Stay fit!
Stay fit!
August 14, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Joined yet another gym! If you are looking for a bright gym, with top notch equipment, and not too busy in the morning, try Max Out Fitness in Raffles Quay. Other location at 313 Somerset. If you’re into Hyrox, it trains those folks in the evenings and weekends.
Stay fit!
Stay fit!
Happy birthday to Fish and Thomas!
Both are wise old souls in young bodies. Although both bodies are older today!
🍰 🎉
Both are wise old souls in young bodies. Although both bodies are older today!
🍰 🎉
August 12, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Happy birthday to Fish and Thomas!
Both are wise old souls in young bodies. Although both bodies are older today!
🍰 🎉
Both are wise old souls in young bodies. Although both bodies are older today!
🍰 🎉