2026-10-27

We are excited to share the first preprint from the Cáceres Lab at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine!

In this new study, led by PhD student Nayrmaliz Marrero, our team evaluated a panel of tissues from minor livestock species, including sheep, goats, and alpacas, to characterize their sialic acid distribution and the binding profiles of Influenza A(H5N1) alongside other influenza subtypes.

A huge congratulations to Nayrmaliz and the entire team for their hard work on this project!

Read the full preprint on bioRxiv

2026-10-21

Dr. Caceres had the privilege of presenting our lab’s work at the College of Veterinary Medicine Seminar Series, titled “From DNA to Disease: Using Reverse Genetics to Unravel Influenza and Other Viral Pathogens.”

A huge thank you to Nayrmaliz, Gabriela, and Sofia! Their hard work and dedication behind the scenes made this research possible.

2026-09-17

Our lab had a fantastic time presenting at the annual CMV Research Day. Congratulations to Dr. Gabriela for winning 2nd place in the postdoc poster competition, and to Nayr for being selected to give an interesting lightning talk.

Here is a quick look at what our team shared:

• Nayrmaliz: “Influenza A (H5N1) Binds to Respiratory and Non-respiratory Tissues of Sheep, Goats, and Alpacas“.
• Gabriela: “Evaluation of Nrf2-Modulating Compounds Against Influenza A Virus”
• Sofia: “Isolation and Characterization of Two New IBV Strains in Iowa”

So proud of the team!

2026-07-31

Serban Constantin Oancea and Nayrmaliz Marrero both presented their posters on the same day at different symposiums. Serban presented at the Exploring Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Symposium at Iowa State University with his poster titled “Impact of Amino Acid Changes at Position 701 of the PB2 Protein on Swine Influenza Virus Replication“. Nayrmaliz presented at the American Society for Virology in Minnesota with her poster titled “Influenza A (H5N1) Binds to Respiratory and Non-respiratory Tissues of Sheep, Goats, and Alpacas“.

We are excited to see both students representing the Caceres Lab and showcasing their work at these events!

2026-07-24

The Caceres Lab at Iowa State University has been awarded $300,000 through the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research’s (FFAR) Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research (ROAR) program, with additional support from Iowa State University and Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). 

This project investigates the genetic mechanisms that influence birds’ immune responses to highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1 and H7N9). Using advanced genomic tools and novel laboratory models, our team aims to identify host genes that can improve disease resistance, support next-generation vaccine development, and advance long-term strategies for protecting poultry health, food security, and agricultural sustainability.

For more information, please visit: https://foundationfar.org/news/ffar-rapid-funding-explores-genetic-immunity-to-avian-influenza/

2026-04-20

This week, we welcomed Poulami that joined our team as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. She has a BSc with Honors in Biological Sciences and a PhD in Microbiology & Molecular Genetics. Her research interests include emerging respiratory viruses in human and animal populations and the development of diagnostics and therapeutics to combat infections.

We look forward to seeing the amazing work she will accomplish!

2026-04-16

Serban Oancea and Nayrmaliz Marrero both presented their posters on the same day at different symposiums. Serban presented at the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Symposium at Iowa State University with his poster titled “A Step-by-Step Guide for the Generation of a Reverse Genetics System of Influenza A Virus“. Nayrmaliz presented at the Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Symposium with her poster titled “Generation and Characterization of Influenza A viruses carrying a nanoluciferase reporter gene“.

We are excited to see both students representing the Caceres Lab and showcasing their work at these events!

2026-04-10

At a recent conference in Austin, MN, Dr. Caceres was invited to discuss recent developments regauenza H5N1. This was in the context of the inaugural Virology Nexus Symposium aiming to increase the networking of virologist accrost the mid-west

2026-04-10

Nayrmaliz Marrero presented her research titled “Generation and Characterization of Influenza A viruses carrying a nanoluciferase reporter gene” at the Virology Nexus Symposium and the Nanovax Conference. The Virology Nexus Symposium was located in Austin, MN while the Nanovax conference was located at Iowa State University.

2026-03-26

This week, we welcomed Sofia that joined our team as a Research Scientist I. She has a Masters of Science in Biotechnology from Northeastern University. She is interested in viral diseases affecting livestock as well as humans and then translating discoveries into practical tools.

We look forward to seeing the amazing work she will accomplish!

2025-02-06

We are excited to announce that a new grant with Dr. Caceres as Co-I totaling $2,000,000 has been awarded through the USDA APHIS HPAI Poultry Innovation Grand Challenge.

The project, titled “Protection and Immunity Induced by Avian Influenza Nano Vaccine (AI-nanovax) in Chickens,” aims to advance poultry health through cutting-edge vaccine technology. The research will be focusing on generating a DIVA-compliant, nanoparticle-based vaccine platform incorporating multiple influenza antigens. It will characterize vaccine safety and immune response breadth in chickens.

This initiative represents a significant step forward in protecting poultry from avian influenza, supporting both animal health and the agricultural industry.

Research Team:

• Balaji Narasimhan (PI; ISU)
• Joaquin Caceres (Co-I; ISU)
• Michael Wannemuehler (Co-I; ISU)
• Adel Talaat (Co-I; Wisc)

2026-01-26

A proposal submitted to the National Pork Board (NPB) was recently funded. This project aims to develop a reverse genetics system for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) to create a RG-based, recombinant-impaired, modified live vaccine candidate. This project will deliver a powerful tool that will significantly aid in the better understanding of the PRRSV biology.

Co-Investigators:

Michael Zeller (VDPAM-CVM), Phillip Gauger (VDPAM-CVM), Jianqian Zhang (VDPAM-CVM), Alexa Buckley (ARS-USDA), and Jayne Wiarda (ARS-USDA).

2025-11-20

Dr. Caceres is attending the 36th Congresso Brasileiro de Virologia in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He will be presenting as an invited speaker about some of the work in our group. We hope the meeting will lead to fruitful connections and collaborations for the Caceres Lab.

2025-11-13

Dr. Caceres is visiting Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS) in Brazil, where Dr. Leila Ullmann, head of the laboratory of veterinary virology, is hosting him. The purpose is to develop new connections and collaborations in virology. Dr. Caceres will give several lectures and seminars and interact 1-on-1 with students at the faculty. We thank Dr. Ullmann for all the support, and the LAC Connections Fellowships Application from the National Academy of Sciences, which provided the resources for this trip.

2025-09-16

The lab was represented by Nayrmaliz and Tommy on CVM Research Day at the alumni center. They had the opportunity to showcase their posters and explain the work they have done.

2025-08-14

On August 7th, Tommy presented at the Veterinary Scholars Symposium in Spokane, WA. He presented his summer research titled “Host range and binding profiles of influenza A(H5N1) in livestock species” and answered questions from students and faculty. The Caceres lab congratulates Tommy on sharing his work at the symposium. We thank the Iowa Livestock Health Advisory Council (ILHAC) for the support!

2025-07-29

We are excited to announce that the Cáceres lab has been awarded a grant that will advance our research on influenza. The primary goal is to examine the role of influenza A viral factors, in the viral replication and the host response using a three-dimensional organotypic model of human tracheal and bronchial epithelial tissue combined with single-cell sequencing techniques.

2025-07-16

Doctor Cáceres is attending the 2025 American Society for Virology (ASV) conference which is held in Montreal, Québec, Canada this July. It is an exciting opportunity to engage with other scientists and explore new ideas. We are grateful for the chance to be present at such a wonderful event spreading knowledge.

Please visit https://asv.org/asv2025/ for more information about the ASV.

The Caceres lab is part of a research team investigating host determinants of avian influenza virus susceptibility

2025-06-23

A team led by Dr. Carnaccini and Dr. Caceres, in collaboration with CSIRO, Australia, was recently awarded a project to address the growing threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The research aims to uncover the genetic factors that make some birds more resistant to infection. The project will focus on the H5Nx HPAIV strain, which has had devastating effects on poultry, wildlife, and food supply chains. Current control methods—such as strict biosecurity and eradication programs—have proven insufficient, and trade restrictions prevent the use of vaccines. With recent advances in precision breeding, the team sees new opportunities to develop poultry that are genetically resistant to the virus, but doing so requires a deeper understanding of the host’s genetic response to infection.

2025-06-10

We are excited to announce 4 new members to the team!

Tommy: A second year DVM student with a B.A. in Biology. He has conducted plant research involving sexual development and has experience working in an animal hospital.

Nayrmaliz: A graduate student with a B.S. in Microbiology. She has had multiple research experiences working with bacteria, fungi, and viruses with plans to become a physician.

Serban: A undergraduate student majoring in Biomedical Engineering soon to begin a learning assistant position. He was part of IRHA and the Wilson/Wallace council.

Luke: A undergraduate student majoring in Biology pursuing a pre-med track. He has been a teaching assistant, a director for IRHA, and a LAS student ambassador.

We can’t wait to see the amazing work they will accomplish!

2025-05-16

This week, we welcomed Nara that joined our team as a Research Scientist I. She has a master degree in biomedical science from University of Iowa and a PhD from Iowa State University. More recently, she was a post-doctoral fellow at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, VPRU-ARS unit, working in identify and analyze strains of both classical and atypical types of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) affecting large animals (deer, elks, cattle, and sheep)

2025-04-01

Dr. Caceres participated last week in the AVEM meeting in Pachuca, Mexico. Dr Caceres gave two seminars, one related to molecular aspects of avian influenza pathogenesis, antigenicity, and host-response. The second one delves into different aspects of infectious Bronchitis Virus and different molecular tools that the lab currently uses to study this avian pathogen

2025-03-18

We are happy to share that Dr. Caceres participated last week in the 2nd Connections to Sustain Science in Latin America Symposium organized by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The conference took place at the University of Engineering and Technology (UTEC) in Lima, Peru. 

This was an excellent opportunity to connect with investigators from different areas of Latin America and the U.S – Looking forward to hopefully participate next year!

2025-02-07

Position open for a lab technician: We are looking for a motivated individual to assist us with daily lab operations. Previous experience in molecular biology and cell culture highly desirable. More information and a link to apply can be found here: https://isu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/IowaStateJobs/job/Ames-IA/Lab-Tech—Virology_R16410

2025-01-01

We have officially started (January 2025) our adventure at Iowa State University. The lab is located at the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Please review the website to learn more about the lab’s research interest. If you would like to learn more about research opportunities for students at all levels or have any questions, send an email to jcaceres@iastate.edu