Professional Profile

• Ph.D., Biotechnology Program, College of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
• M.A., Biotechnological Engineering, University of Santiago Compostela, Spain
• B.S., Biotechnology, College of Pharmacy, University of Santiago Compostela, Spain
• B.A., Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Santiago Compostela, Spain

• Research Assistant Professor, 2020-Present, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Research Scientist, 2013-2016, Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 2011-2013, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yeshiva University

• Molecular mechanisms of viral entry and receptor recognition 
• Host–virus interactions in PRRSV and SARS-CoV-2 
• Role of glycosylation in modulating receptor binding and immune evasion 
• Genetic and molecular engineering of viral receptors (e.g., CD163) for disease resistance in livestock 
• Structure–function analysis of viral glycoproteins 
• Development of novel antiviral and vaccine strategies

View Dr. Brandariz-Nunez' publications in PubMed

View Dr. Brandariz-Nunez' publications in Orcid

• Project title: Effect of modifications on CD163 and viral envelope glycoproteins on virus-host interactions 
  Sponsor: US Department of Agriculture (National Institute of Food and Agriculture) 
  Duration: 09/01/2023-08/31/2027

• Rowland RRR, Brandariz-Nuñez A. Role of CD163 in PRRSV infection. Virology. (2024). 600:110262. 
• Rowland RRR, Salgado B, Lowe J, Sonstegard TS, Carlson DF, Martins K, Bostrom JR, Storms S, Brandariz-Nuñez A. Deletion of maternal CD163 PSTII-domain-coding exon 13 protects fetuses from infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Vet Microbiol. (2024). 298:110255.
• Rowland RRR, Brandariz-Nuñez A. Role of N-linked glycosylation in porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection. (2024). J Gen Virol. 105 (5). 
• Burger BT, Beaton BP, Campbell MA, Brett BT, Rohrer MS, Plummer S, Barnes D, Jiang K, Naswa S, Lange J, Ott A, Alger E, Rincon G, Rounsley S, Betthauser J, Mtango NR, Benne JA, Hammerand J, Durfee CJ, Rotolo ML, Cameron P, Lied AM, Irby MJ, Nyer DB, Fuller CK, Gradia S, Kanner SB, Park KE, Waters J, Simpson S, Telugu BP, Salgado BC, Brandariz-Nuñez A, Rowland RRR, Culbertson M, Rice E, Cigan AM (2024). Generation of a Commercial-Scale Founder Population of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Resistant Pigs Using CRISPR-Cas. CRISPR J. 7(1):12-28.
• Salgado B, Rivas RB, Pinto D, Sonstegard TS, Carlson DF, Martins K, Bostrom JR, Sinebo Y, Rowland RRR, Brandariz-Nuñez A (2024). Genetically modified pigs lacking CD163 PSTII-domain-coding exon 13 are completely resistant to PRRSV infection. Antiviral Res. 221:105793.
• Stoian AMM, Rowland RRR, Brandariz-Nuñez A. (2022). Identification of CD163 regions that are required for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection but not for binding to viral envelope glycoproteins. Virology. 574:71-83. 
• Stoian AMM, Rowland RRR, Brandariz-Nuñez A. (2022). Mutations within scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) protein domain 5 of porcine CD163 involved in infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRS). J Gen Virol. 103 (5). 
• Rowland R, Brandariz-Nuñez A. (2021). Analysis of the Role of N-Linked Glycosylation in Cell Surface Expression, Function, and Binding Properties of SARS-CoV-2 Receptor ACE2. Microbiol Spectrum. 9(2): e0119921. 
• Brandariz-Nuñez A, Robinson SJ, Evilevitch A. (2020). Pressurized DNA state inside herpes capsids—A novel antiviral target. PLoSPathogens 16(7): e1008604.
• Brandariz-Nuñez A, Liu T, Du T, Evilevitch A. (2019). Pressure-driven release of viral genome into a host nucleus is a mechanism leading to herpes infection. Elife. pii: e47212.

• Title: Applications of the protein muns and the derivates thereof 
  Type of industrial property: Patent of invention (non‐exclusive) 
  United States Patent Number: US 10059745 B2 
  Date of Patent: 08/28/2018

Dr. Alberto Brandariz Núñez investigates the molecular mechanisms that govern virus–host interactions, with the goal of developing new strategies to control major viral pathogens affecting animals and humans. His current research centers on two main areas: understanding how ACE2 glycosylation regulates SARS-CoV-2 entry and engineering the porcine CD163 receptor to prevent PRRSV infection without disrupting its natural biological functions.

His work combines molecular virology, protein engineering, and cell biology to dissect how viral glycoproteins engage their receptors and to identify critical determinants of viral entry. These insights support the design of next-generation vaccines, antiviral drugs, and genetic resistance approaches, including CRISPR-based strategies for PRRSV-resistant pigs.