Northern Illinois University
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Professor Jozef J. Bujarski

Distinguished Research Professor

Research Interests

Study of the mechanisms of RNA-RNA recombination (homologous and non-homologous) that occur in RNA viruses by using Brome Mosaic Bromovirus (BMV) as a model system, from both the virus and the host stand points. The main subjects under study include the determination of viral RNA sequences supporting crossover events, the role of viral replicase (RdRp) complex in recombination and the involvement of host cellular genes and the cellular pathways (such as RNAi/PTGS) in recombination. Also, evaluation of the risk of recombination associated with the use of transgenic plants that carry viral transgenes is another area of interest.