Shusuke Kawakubo

Novel African Rhinolophus bat ACE2 sequences reveal the determinants of Afro-Eurasian sarbecovirus entry

This study identifies key ACE2 residues that influence sarbecovirus infectivity in African Rhinolophus bats and reports novel ACE2 sequences from R. simulator and R. blasii.

A non-spike nucleocapsid R204P mutation in SARS-CoV-2 Omicron XEC enhances inflammation and pathogenicity

This study identifies the non-spike R204P mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron XEC variant as a driver of increased inflammation and pathogenicity through NF-κB activation.

Humoral immunity induced by LP.8.1 monovalent vaccines against a broad range of SARS-CoV-2 variants including XEC, NB.1.8.1, XFG, and BA.3.2

This study evaluates the humoral immune response induced by LP.8.1-based vaccines against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants, showing effective cross-neutralization and immune boosting.

Integrative modeling of seasonal influenza evolution via AI-powered antigenic cartography

This study uses a protein language model to map influenza virus antigenicity from genotype data, revealing evolutionary patterns and improving vaccine strain selection.

Virological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 XEC variant

This study analyzes the virological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 XEC variant, showing it has higher infectivity and immune evasion compared to KP.3.1.1, contributing to its higher reproductive number and potential dominance.