Research Interest: Immunology, veterinary immunology, lymphocytes, innate immunity, receptors, viral infections, RNA viruses.

Research Interest: Bacteria of the genus Staphylococcus, in particular the species S. aureus and virulence factors produced by this species. In the so far carried out research, the results of which were published in several peer-reviewed journals I analyzed:

1.The influence of leucocytotoxic and superantygenic virulence factors produced by S. aureus strains isolated from milk of cows with mastitis on the cytokine production and gene expression in bovine leukocyte cultures in vitro;
2. the impact of staphylococcal exotoxins on the process of phagocytosis in vitro;
3. the efficacy of treatment of mastitis by staphylococcal autovaccine;
4. the profile of resistance to methicillin of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from animals;
5. the profile of the genes encoding superantigens in S. aureus and S. xylosus isolates collected from cows;
6. the possibility of transfer of genes encoding superantigens between staphylococci occurring in the same mammary gland;
7. genetic relatedness of staphylococci isolated within a herd of animals;
8. the biological activity of staphylococcal exosecretions against leukocytes in vitro;
9. the impact of staphylococcal virulence factors on the morphology of leukocytes in vitro.
I also analyzed and published in the GenBank several new 16S rRNA gene sequences of bacteria representing different species of staphylococci, identified by PCR-RFLP analysis of gap gene. Furthermore, as a contributor I published in the GenBank the 16S rRNA gene sequences of bacterial isolates, which were unidentified based on the polymorphism of gap gene, of which at least two isolates represent new species or subspecies of the staphylococci.
The second direction of my research concerns the use of magnetic fields, in particular the rotating magnetic field to modify the functional parameters and pathogenicity potential of different species of microorganisms. At the present, I’m analyzing the influence of magnetic field on metabolic processes in microorganisms, both at the cellular and molecular level. As a continuation of my first research mainstream microorganism used in these studies is primarily S. aureus.

Research Interest: Molecular epidemiology, Development of diagnostic tests for viral disease, Cell culture, Bioinformatics.

Research Interest: Clinical Immunology.

Research Interest: Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Pathogenesis

Research Interest: Molecular mechanisms of immune evasion of EBV and HSV-1. Molecular mechanisms of EBV and HSV-1 infection and its interaction with the host. Mechanisms of pathogenesis of EBV and HSV-1 infection.

Published Papers:

1.    Representative papers published after work

1)    Li ML, Chen T, Wang P, Zou XM, Xu Z, Wang YF, Chen DX, Peng T, Cai MS(*). Characterization of the nucleocytoplasmic transport mechanisms of Epstein-Barr virus BFLF2. Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry, 2018, Accept. (SCI, IF=5.5)

2)    Cai MS, Liao ZM, Chen T, Wang P, Zou XM, Wang YF, Xu Z, Jiang S, Huang JL, Chen DX, Peng T, Hong GD, Li ML(*). Characterization of the subcellular localization of Epstein-Barr virus encoded proteins in live cells. Oncotarget, 2017, 8(41), 70006-70034. (SCI, IF=5.168)

http://www.impactjournals.com/oncotarget/index.php?journal=oncotarget&page=article&op=view&path[]=19549&author-preview=f31

3)    Cai MS, Li ML, Wang KZ, Wang S, Lu Q, Yan JH, Mossman KL, Lin RT, Zheng CF(*). The herpes simplex virus 1-encoded envelope glycoprotein B activates NF-κB through the Toll-like receptor 2 and MyD88/TRAF6-dependent signaling pathway. Plos One, 2013, 8(1), e54586. (SCI, IF=3.534)
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0054586

4)    Cai MS, Deng SX, Li ML(*). Comparison of the immune responses in BALB/c Mice following immunization with DNA-based and live attenuated vaccines delivered via different routes. Vaccine, 2013, 31(9),1353-1356. (SCI, IF=3.485)
https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0264-410X(12)01308-4

5)    Cai MS, Jiang S, Zeng ZC, Li XW, Mo CC, Yang YJ, Chen CK, Xie PP, Bian Y, Wang JL, Huang JL, Chen DX, Peng T, Li ML(*). Probing the nuclear import signal and nuclear transport molecular determinants of PRV ICP22. Cell & Bioscience, 2016, 6: 3. (SCI, IF=3.294)
https://cellandbioscience.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13578-016-0069-7

6)    Cai MS, Jiang S, Li XW, Zeng ZC, Li ML(*). Characterization of the nuclear import mechanisms of HSV-1 UL31. Biological Chemistry. 2016, 397(6): 555-561. (SCI, IF=3.273)
https://www.degruyter.com/doi/10.1515/hsz-2015-0299

7)    Cai MS, Huang ZB, Liao ZM, Chen T, Wang P, Jiang S, Chen DX, Peng T, Bian Y, Hong GD, Yang H, Zeng ZC, Li XW, Li ML(*). Characterization of the subcellular localization and nuclear import molecular mechanisms of herpes simplex virus 1 UL2. Biological Chemistry. 2017, 398(4): 509-517. (SCI, IF=3.273)
https://www.degruyter.com/doi/10.1515/hsz-2016-0268 

8)    Cai MS, Li ML, Zheng CF(*). Herpesviral infection and Toll-like receptor 2. Protein & Cell, 2012, 3(8), 590-601. (SCI, IF=3.22)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13238-012-2059-9

9)    Li ML, Jiang S, Mo CC, Wang JL, Huang JL, Zeng ZC, Li XW, Chen CK, Yang YJ, Peng T, Cai MS(*). Identification of molecular determinants for the nuclear import of pseudorabies virus UL31. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 2015, 587, 12-7. (SCI, IF=2.807)
https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0003-9861(15)30075-8

10)    Li ML, Jiang S, Wang JL, Mo CC, Zeng ZC, Yang YJ, Chen CK, Li XW, Cui W, Huang JL, Peng T, Cai MS(*). Characterization of the nuclear import and export signals of pseudorabies virus UL31. Archives of Virology, 2015, 160, 2591-2594. (SCI, IF=2.255)
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00705-015-2527-7

11)    Cai MS, Chen DX, Zeng ZC, Yang H, Jiang S, Li XW, Mai JY, Peng T, Li ML*. Characterization of the nuclear import signal of herpes simplex virus 1 UL31. Archives of Virology, 2016, 161(9):2379-2385. (SCI, IF=2.058)
https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00705-016-2910-z

12)    Li ML, Cui W, Mo CC, Wang JL, Zhao ZY, Cai MS(*). Cloning, expression, purification, antiserum preparation and its characteristics of the truncated UL6 protein of herpes simplex virus 1. Molecular Biology Reports, 2014, 41(9), 5997-6002. (SCI, IF=2.024)
https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11033-014-3477-y

2.    Representative papers published at the time of Ph.D. candidate
13)    Cai MS, Wang S, Long J, Zheng CF(*). Probing of the nuclear import and export signals and subcellular transport mechanism of varicella-zoster virus tegument protein open reading frame 10. Medical Microbiology and Immunology, 2012, 201(1), 103-111. (SCI, IF=3.545)
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00430-011-0211-4

14)    Cai MS, Wang S, Xing JJ, Zheng CF(*). Characterization of the nuclear import and export signals, and subcellular transport mechanism of varicella-zoster virus ORF9. Journal of General Virology, 2011, 92(Pt 3), 621-626. (SCI, IF=3.363)
http://jgv.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.027029-0#tab2

15)    Li ML, Wang S, Cai MS, Zheng CF(*). Identification of nuclear and nucleolar localization signals of PRV early protein UL54 reveals that its nuclear targeting is required for efficient production of virus. Journal of virology, 2011, 85, 10239–10251. (SCI, IF=5.402)
http://jvi.asm.org/content/85/19/10239.long

16)    Wang L, Li ML, Cai MS, Xing JJ, Wang S, Zheng CF(*). A PY-nuclear localization signal is required for nuclear accumulation of HCMV UL79 protein. Medical Microbiology and Immunology, 2012, 201(3),381-387. (SCI, IF=3.545)

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00430-012-0243-4

17)    Li ML, Wang S, Cai MS, Guo H, Zheng CF(*). Characterization of molecular determinants for nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of PRV UL54. Virology, 2011, 417, 385-417. (SCI, IF=3.351)
https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0042-6822(11)00268-6

3.    Representative papers published at the time of M.Sc. candidate
18)    Cai MS, Cheng AC(*), Wang MS, Chen WP, Zhang X, Zheng SX, Pu Y, Lou KP, Zhang Y, Sun L, Wang LL, Zhu DK, Luo QH, Chen XY. Characterization of the duck plague virus UL35 gene. Intervirology, 2010, 53(6), 408-416. (SCI, IF=1.756)
https://www.karger.com/?DOI=10.1159/000317291

19)    Cai MS, Cheng AC (*), Wang MS, Zhao LC, Zhu DK, Luo QH, Liu F, Chen XY. His6-tagged UL35 protein of duck plague virus: expression, purification, and production of polyclonal antibody. Intervirology, 2009, 52(3),141-151. (SCI, IF=1.106)
https://www.karger.com/?DOI=10.1159/000221833

20)    Cai MS, Cheng AC (*), Wang MS, Zhao LC, Zhu DK, Luo QH, Liu F, Chen XY. Characterization of synonymous codon usage bias in the duck plague virus UL35 gene. Intervirology, 2009, 52(5), 266-278. (SCI, IF=1.106)
https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/231992

Research Interest: Immune based inflammatory disorders (with special reference to nanomedicines).

Research Interest: Conduct several molecular biology and genomic assays including Sequencing, Cloning, RT-PCR, Southern blot, Northern blot, and Immunostaining.

Research Interest: HTA and to new communication strategies with people about vaccination, especially in consideration of the rising phenomena of anti-vaccination movements.

I am a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center where I am understanding the mechanism of AICDA, a DNA mutator with paramount importance in antibody diversity in on target activity using human Bcells. I am studying this by targeted degradation of essential proteins using a state of art technology called Degron system which are generated using knockin and single cell cloning. These targets were identified from mass spec and mutations seen in DHL and DLBCL a form of Bcell lymphoma.

During my Ph.D I delineated interaction between CD40L- CD40 during a macrophages T cell interaction using residue specific functions on CD40L which are reported in hyper IgM syndrome. While studying this I also generated avirulent strains of Leishmania parasites which we testes as a vaccine strain in different knockout mice and studied the immune response elicited by this vaccine. I also developed a DNA vaccine against one of the target proteins in the Leishmania and testes it. During my master's in Virology from the National Institute of Virology, Pune I study different classes of virus and their pathogenesis. In particular, I studied the role of host kinases in the pathogenesis of the Japanese Encephalitis virus for my master's dissertation. I have a deep understanding of Immunology, APC-Tcell interaction, host-pathogen interactions, RNA biology, Bcell biology and vaccines. My area of interest is immunology, tumor immunology, macrophages, Bcells, host-pathogen interactions, virology, RNA biology, and cancer biology.

Research Interest: Lymphoma, Bcell biology, receptor-ligand interaction, host-pathogen-interaction, macrophages and tumor immunity

Research Interest: Inflammation, Immunology, Innate immunity, Infection, Antimicrobial peptides
Lipid mediators.

Research Interest: Infectious diseases in animals, diagnostics, epidemiology, efficiency of vaccination programmes.

Research Interest: Biotechnology, Vaccines, Vaccine Development, Virology, Viral Vaccines.

Research Interest: Plant biotechnology, Regulation of expression by anti-messengers & ribozymes, Systems Biology.