Vaibhav Tiwari, Ph.D.

My research advances carbohydrate-based antiviral strategies to prevent herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, limit tissue injury, and preserve the biological processes that support repair. This work addresses a central paradox: the same glycans that maintain tissue health can also facilitate viral invasion. Our primary focus is heparan sulfate (HS), whose sulfation patterns shape interactions with viral envelope glycoproteins. HS mediates viral attachment, while specific 3-O-sulfated HS motifs can function as HSV-1 entry receptors, triggering the molecular events required for virus–cell fusion. Because HS also coordinates host signaling and tissue homeostasis, effective intervention requires precise targeting of the interactions that promote infection. We investigate how glycan structure and remodeling influence viral entry, coinfection, spread, and inflammatory injury. By defining antiviral motifs within sulfated glycans and mapping their binding sites on viral glycoproteins, we aim to develop carbohydrate-based inhibitors with clear molecular targets and mechanisms of action. A central objective is to determine whether these inhibitors can reduce infection while preserving or restoring repair-associated functions in susceptible ocular, genital, and neural tissues. Integrating glycobiology, virology, chemical biology, and computational modeling, our long-term goal is to block the glycan interactions HSV exploits while safeguarding the host functions essential for defense, repair, and recovery.