WSU graduate student Ricardo Rivero is working to uncover the rules that govern how viruses evolve — insights that could one day help predict viral behavior and guide public health responses. A PhD student in Biomedical Sciences with a focus on Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Ricardo is investigating how genomic features such as segmentation, polarity, and size influence how RNA viruses like influenza adapt to mammalian hosts.
Originally from Cereté, Colombia, he earned his B.Sc. in Biotechnology from Institución Universitaria Colegio Mayor de Antioquia in Medellín in 2018. Now under the mentorship of Dr. Stephanie Seifert, he plans to complete his degree in fall 2027 and hopes to pursue an academic career where he can continue advancing the science of viral evolution.
What inspired you to pursue your graduate studies at WSU?
First of all, an excellent match with my advisor in research goals and interests. I met Dr. Seifert back in 2022 and upon discussing research interests, it was clear that my long-term goals and interests were aligned with her research plan. Then, the name of WSU’s VetMed and its reputation played a big role in my decision – back in Colombia, friends and colleagues from schools of veterinary medicine would often regard WSU as a top-tier school in their field, which, added to the exciting research done by faculty and students at WSU, made me choose to pursue my doctoral degree here.
Can you describe your current research?
My dissertation research focuses on understanding the rules of viral evolution, with a focus on studying how genome organization constrains RNA virus adaptation to mammalian hosts. Our key hypothesis is that viral features such as genome polarity, segmentation, and size, among many other sequential and structural features, determine the speed at which viruses evolve to accumulate advantageous mutations. One (if not the most) important example are influenza viruses, whose segmented genome allows them to rapidly exchange complete genes to either delete negative mutations, adopt new ones that permit them to evade immunity triggered by vaccination and previous infection, or infect new animal species, like we are seeing with H5 expanding from birds to cause disease in cattle. With my dissertation research, we will gain a better understanding of how viruses evolve, providing actionable insights for better public health interventions.
What resources or facilities at WSU have been most valuable to your research?
A key resource for my research has been the availability of a high performance computing node like Kamiak and Camas – without these resources, computationally intensive work like mine, where we often require powerful GPU and CPU resources to deal with hundreds of thousands of RNA sequences and protein structures, would be impossible.
What role does collaboration play in your research, and how have you worked with other students and faculty?
The infectious disease field is highly collaborative because it sits at the interface between biology, mathematics and anthropology. In my research, I have had the immense privilege to have input from several PIs and labs, with our joint lab meeting with the Fernandez and Lofgren labs providing distinct yet enriching feedback on my research, permitting me to think outside of the “genomic” box and gain a holistic understanding of disease dynamics.
How has your mentor helped you in your journey?
Choosing a mentor is (and should be) the most important decision that we as students make when pursuing a doctoral degree, and for me, Dr. Seifert has been a fundamental part of my progress. I can’t talk enough about how often she has been available to discuss my latest results or provide timely feedback on a poster, talk, or fellowship submission, not only that, but I have found through my PI incredible career advice, allowing me to understand academia better and prepare for my long-term goals.
What are your long-term career goals, and how is your current research helping you achieve them?
In the long term, I want to start my own lab and have a successful academic career. Independence has always been a characteristic of my personality, and there is no better place to exercise that than academia. My current research perfectly aligns with my research interests, and I’ve devoted my scientific life to understanding viral evolution and uncovering the rules that govern it because I firmly believe that there is more to it than pure “randomness.”
What has been your favorite thing about WSU and the College of Veterinary Medicine?
The amazing community and support we have as a school. CVM admin cares about their students, and they make it known by providing us with access to career-development initiatives, counseling, physical-wellness activities, and social gatherings that foster a strong community.
What has surprised you the most about WSU and the College of Veterinary Medicine?
The diversity of the research conducted at the college. Every week at AIMS we have the chance to learn about a new topic, from tick biology to antibody profiles and bacterial chemotaxis, it’s just exciting!
What would you say to prospective graduate students considering the College of Veterinary Medicine?
It is the place to find the support you need to attain your degree, with diverse research programs, resources, great people, rigorous science, and top-notch education.