Elke Muhlberger, PhD

Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Virologist;
Expert in molecular biology of Marburg and Ebola viruses and other highly pathogenic viruses;
Experienced in BSL4 work;
Focus on virus-host interaction.

Publications

  • Published 5/29/2026

    Ross SJ, Ye C, Moxon S, Mühlberger E, Martinez-Sobrido L, Cifuentes D. RNA Folding Energy of Long-Range Genomic Interactions Regulates Discontinuous Transcription in SARS-CoV-2. Viruses. 2026 May 29; 18(6). PMID: 42357630.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 1/20/2026

    Rollins SD, Hume AJ, Chen DY, Yeboah RL, Singh Bawa P, Simone-Roach C, Yin J, Little A, Fatima A, Murano H, Tavares LP, Okuda K, Huang J, Kotton DN, Saeed M, Mühlberger E, Wang R. Genetic and chemical correction of cystic fibrosis reduces airway susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2026 Apr 01; 330(4):L344-L367. PMID: 41556834.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 11/24/2025

    Flores EY, Hume AJ, Olejnik J, Mithal A, D'Amico A, Yang M, Bawa P, Wang F, O'Connell AK, Tseng A, Crossland NA, Mostoslavsky G, Mühlberger E. Filovirus infection disrupts epithelial barrier function and ion transport in human iPSC-derived gut organoids. PLoS Pathog. 2025 Nov; 21(11):e1013698. PMID: 41284734.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 9/12/2025

    Parthasarathy S, Saenjamsai P, Hao H, Ferkul A, Pfannenstiel JJ, Bejan DS, Chen Y, Suder EL, Schwarting N, Aikawa M, Muhlberger E, Hume AJ, Orozco RC, Sullivan CS, Cohen MS, Davido DJ, Fehr AR. PARP14 is an interferon-induced host factor that promotes IFN production and affects the replication of multiple viruses. mBio. 2025 Oct 08; 16(10):e0229925. PMID: 40937852.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 7/15/2025

    Olejnik J, Meier K, Herrera JN, DeStasio DJ, Deeney DJ, Flores EY, White MR, Hume AJ, Mühlberger E. Harnessing Hazara Virus as a Surrogate for Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Enables Inactivation Studies at a Low Biosafety Level. Pathogens. 2025 Jul 15; 14(7). PMID: 40732746.

    Read at: PubMed

Other Positions

  • Faculty, National Emerging Infectious Disease Lab
    Boston University
  • Graduate Medical Sciences Educator and Mentor (Primary Mentor of Graduate Students)
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences
  • Member, Genome Science Institute
    Boston University

Education

  • Philipps-Universität Marburg, PhD
  • Philipps-Universität Marburg, MA