{"681526":{"#nid":"681526","#data":{"type":"event","title":"PhD Proposal by Jinyuan Guo","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJinyuan Guo\u003Cbr\u003EBME PhD Proposal Presentation\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDate\u003C\/strong\u003E: 2025-03-30\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETime\u003C\/strong\u003E: 8:30 (ATL, time) 20:30(Beijing Time)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELocation \/ Meeting Link\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/92268521290?pwd=xZ4Eaf4OmlIZ2aJaI29avPbQCgXWls.1\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/92268521290?pwd=xZ4Eaf4OmlIZ2aJaI29avPbQCgXWls.1\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EPeng Xi; Huaiqiu Zhu; Peng Qiu; Xiaodong Su; Ziding Zhang\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETitle\u003C\/strong\u003E: Developing Foundation Models for Predicting Viral Animal Host Range in Surveillance of Zoonotic Viruses\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbstract:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EEmerging human infectious viruses originating from animals have consistently posed severe threats to global public health, as exemplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and numerous other zoonotic outbreaks. A fundamental barrier to pandemic prevention is our limited understanding of the host range of animal viruses \u2014 the diversity of animal species they can infect \u2014 which directly shapes the risk of viral spillover into human populations. While previous models have provided valuable insights into viral host prediction, they often suffer from limited host coverage, poor generalization to novel viruses, and a heavy reliance on incomplete phenotypic data. Recent advances in genomic sequencing and foundation models offer new opportunities to predict viral host range directly from viral genetic information. In this dissertation, we aim to systematically predict the animal host ranges by developing advanced foundation models. Specifically, this work is organized into three major aims: (Aim 1) We curate a comprehensive and diverse dataset of virus-animal associations, including mammals, birds, and arthropods, by integrating and harmonizing existing databases; (Aim 2) We developed a foundation model trained on viral genome and protein sequences, and build an ensemble model incorporating viral compositional traits, phylogeny, and protein-protein interaction signals to robustly predict host range;(Aim 3) We point out the limitations of current foundation models by integrating biological insights. Through this research, we expect to achieve accurate, generalizable, and interpretable predictions of viral host ranges, with particular emphasis on novel and understudied viruses. Ultimately, this work aims to provide a practical tool for transforming viral genomic data into actionable insights for outbreak preparedness and early-warning surveillance of zoonotic threats.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDeveloping Foundation Models for Predicting Viral Animal Host Range in Surveillance of Zoonotic Viruses\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Developing Foundation Models for Predicting Viral Animal Host Range in Surveillance of Zoonotic Viruses"}],"uid":"27707","created_gmt":"2025-04-02 18:33:40","changed_gmt":"2025-04-02 18:34:42","author":"Tatianna Richardson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-04-30T08:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-04-30T22:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-04-30T22:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-04-30 12:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-05-01 02:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-05-01 02:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"ZOOM","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"221981","name":"Graduate Studies"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"102851","name":"Phd proposal"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1788","name":"Other\/Miscellaneous"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78771","name":"Public"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}