Uri Neri

About

(March 2024 Update!) Starting a post-doc / data-scientist job at the Joint Genome Institute on May 2024, where I will work on in-silco bioinfo tool devlopment, improving characterisation of uncultivated RNA viruses, and hopefully also work on pushing virus discory research to be more interoperable and open.
I have finished my PhD studies in Uri Gophna’s lab (Tel Aviv University) late 2023. In my PhD, most of my days were spent “dry” working on Virus discovery and processing pipelines, but I’ve used to do "wet" work too, which frankly, I kind of miss.

My main research interests are RNA virus discovery, haloarchaeal viruses, (the quest for the combo of the two), and the never ending task of host assignment for novel viruses. A common phrase I repeat is that simply identifying a sequence as viral is barely half the story. They are all obligate parasites (at least so far), so the obvious questions should be - how/what they infect? how do they shape the host population? do they partake in the arms race? Do they prefer super infections or are they “solitary”?
I'm deeply interested in the Dead-Sea. I had the privilege of taking and processing the genetic material along the water column, from which we were able to grow enrichment cultures with some cool archaea and even sequenced a complete, single circular contig genome of a nanohaloarchaea!
My most hopefull endevour is trying to improve the research niche of OMICs mining of RNA viruses - looking for ways to promote reproducibility, interoperability and standardisation. In 2023, along with an amazing group of passionate researchers (mostly ECRs!) we organized the first "RdRp Summit", bringing together researchers from various labs across the world, and I am proud to have seen this group of strangers begin forming a mature responsible scientific community.

Uri Neri

About

I am a PhD candidate in Uri Gophna’s lab. Nowadays, most of days are spent “dry” working on Virus discovery and processing pipelines, but I’ve used to do wet work too. Frankly, I kind of miss it.
My main research interests are RNA virus discovery, haloarchaeal viruses, and the never ending task of host assignment for novel viruses. A common phrase I repeat is that simply identifying a sequence as viral is barely half the story. They are obligate parasites (at least so far), so the obvious questions should be - how/what they infect? how do they shape the host population? do they partake in the arms race? Do they prefer super infections or are they “solitary”?
Another of my interest is the Dead-Sea. I had the privilege of taking and processing the genetic material along the water column. I guess I just love everything fringe in microbiology.