Title: Understanding viruses using topological methods

Abstract: For the last 25 years I have studied the effects of DNA packaging as well as the action of DNA binding enzymes responsible for important cellular processes such as DNA replication, or transcription of DNA into RNA. The genetic code of viruses and of living organisms is encoded in very long DNA or RNA molecules, which are tightly packaged in confined environments. Understanding the geometry and topology of nucleic acids is key to understanding the mechanisms of viral infection and the inner workings of a cell. We use techniques from knot theory and low-dimensional topology, aided by discrete methods and computational tools, to ask questions about the topological state of a genome. I will illustrate the use of these methods with examples drawn from recent work in my group, including a glimpse into recent work on CoVID-19.