Dr. Michael Letko’s Laboratory of Functional Viromics | we study zoonotic potential of novel viruses. For more information, check out our website: https://labs.wsu.edu/lofv/ https://bsky.app/profile/fviromics.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/fviromics.bsky.social/post/3mk4cnhqjq22vNew alphaCoV receptor out today in nature! Very cool! https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10394-x22 Apr 2026 20:12 +0000at://did:plc:3ijdognvoup627ktusxkau5v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk4cnhqjq22vhttps://bsky.app/profile/fviromics.bsky.social/post/3mitobwwktk2rOur mini-review for Journal of Virology’s “new voices in virology” collection is out now. We highlight our lab’s mission, approaches, successes and visions for the future. https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.01728-2506 Apr 2026 16:21 +0000at://did:plc:3ijdognvoup627ktusxkau5v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mitobwwktk2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/fviromics.bsky.social/post/3men4cbgg2c2oA big thank you to Dr. Nick Catanzaro for visiting the LoFV this week and sharing his cool science!12 Feb 2026 04:02 +0000at://did:plc:3ijdognvoup627ktusxkau5v/app.bsky.feed.post/3men4cbgg2c2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/fviromics.bsky.social/post/3m45a5esptc2vNew pre-print! Where did the HKU5 viruses recently reported in mink come from and where might they go next? In this collaboration with the Sato lab, we explore the recombinant origins of mink HKU5 viruses and test what it would take for human ACE2 use. Intermediate hosts are important for zoonosis! https://shorturl.at/ZP3e327 Oct 2025 01:07 +0000at://did:plc:3ijdognvoup627ktusxkau5v/app.bsky.feed.post/3m45a5esptc2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/fviromics.bsky.social/post/3lysmx2xuv224If you haven’t already, you should check out our latest study identifying the host receptor used by merbecoviruses that circulate European and Asian hedgehogs. It’s a surprising finding that unlocks the entire group of viruses for researchers to study further! https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.03.674079v114 Sep 2025 15:41 +0000at://did:plc:3ijdognvoup627ktusxkau5v/app.bsky.feed.post/3lysmx2xuv224https://bsky.app/profile/fviromics.bsky.social/post/3ly54w5cb4225🧐 if you know, then you know https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.03.674079v1 https://media.tenor.com/JIJjXJ7aMjMAAAAC/cat-hedgehog.gif?hh=252&ww=32006 Sep 2025 02:29 +0000at://did:plc:3ijdognvoup627ktusxkau5v/app.bsky.feed.post/3ly54w5cb4225https://bsky.app/profile/fviromics.bsky.social/post/3ly54w5cb4225🧐 if you know, then you know https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.03.674079v1 https://media.tenor.com/JIJjXJ7aMjMAAAAC/cat-hedgehog.gif?hh=252&ww=32006 Sep 2025 02:29 +0000at://did:plc:3ijdognvoup627ktusxkau5v/app.bsky.feed.post/3ly54w5cb4225https://bsky.app/profile/fviromics.bsky.social/post/3lxydrlbfwc2fNew preprint! If some merbecoviruses use DPP4 and others use ACE2, what do those hedgehog merbecoviruses use?! As it turns out, neither! In our latest study, we uncover the "missing" receptor for the MERS-related viruses in hedgehogs. [These findings were first shared at ASV this year] (1/6) https://tinyurl.com/5fcryc4p04 Sep 2025 04:48 +0000at://did:plc:3ijdognvoup627ktusxkau5v/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxydrlbfwc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/fviromics.bsky.social/post/3lxydrlbfwc2fNew preprint! If some merbecoviruses use DPP4 and others use ACE2, what do those hedgehog merbecoviruses use?! As it turns out, neither! In our latest study, we uncover the "missing" receptor for the MERS-related viruses in hedgehogs. [These findings were first shared at ASV this year] (1/6) https://tinyurl.com/5fcryc4p04 Sep 2025 04:48 +0000at://did:plc:3ijdognvoup627ktusxkau5v/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxydrlbfwc2f