Michael J. Buchmeier 
Professor of Medicine-Infectious Diseases | UC Irvine
Irvine, CA, UNITED STATES
Michael Buchmeier studies the pathogenesis and control of emerging viral infections, especially coronavirus, for more than 30 years.
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Biography
Professor Buchmeier is interested in the pathogenesis and control of emerging viral infections, the structure and function of viral proteins and glycoproteins, in antiviral drug design, and the mechanisms by which viruses interact with the host during persistent infection. Also of interest are the ways in which viruses contribute to a variety of autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases.
Areas of Expertise (5)
Viral Pathogenesis
Coronaviruses
Viruses
Arenaviruses
Biology of RNA Viruses
Education (3)
McMaster University: PhD, Virology and Immunology 1976
Washington State University: MS, Bacteriology and Public health 1972
Washington State University: BS, Bacteriology and Public health 1970
Affiliations (5)
- American Academy of Microbiology : Fellow
- PLoS Pathogens : Associate editor
- Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews : Editor
- Virology : Associate editor
- Viral Immunology : Editorial board
Links (6)
Media Appearances (7)
Delta variant likely growing in Ventura County but vaccines should slow spread
Ventury County Star online
2021-06-25
The numbers bode well for the state and the region, said Dr. Michael Buchmeier, infectious disease expert and professor of medicine at UC Irvine. While the proportion of vaccinated residents won't achieve herd immunity, it's high enough to slow the spread of the Delta variant, he said.
'Breakthrough' COVID infections rare in county
Ventury County Star online
2021-06-04
Genetic sequencing is costly and time-consuming. But it needs to be done, said Michael Buchmeier, professor of medicine and infectious disease expert at UC Irvine. "We need to know what’s going on. We need to [know] what the variants are and what’s emerging," he said.
A viral tsunami: How the underestimated coronavirus took over the world
The Washington Post online
2021-03-09
“Pneumonia of unknown cause — China” declared the bulletin the WHO distributed Jan. 5, 2020. Four days later, Chinese news reports said the illness was caused by a coronavirus. That was the same type of virus that caused SARS, …. “Don your spacesuits, comrades!” Michael J. Buchmeier, a professor at the University of California at Irvine, wrote in a Jan. 9, 2020, email. He was sending a news story to two fellow scientists, …. They had all worked on SARS.
New research shows California coronavirus variant is more transmissible
The Washington Post online
2021-02-25
Most variants of the coronavirus “will be inconsequential, but as we have seen some may enhance the ability of the virus to spread more rapidly, or to change the character of the infection,” Michael J. Buchmeier, a virologist [and professor, school of medicine] at the University of California, Irvine, said in an email. He urged the public to continue to take precautions against the virus, adding, “Testing and sequencing is needed to localize and quarantine any infected individuals to prevent further propagation of the variant virus into the population.
In race to vaccinate, could California see another surge?
CalMatters online
2021-02-05
Still, those numbers are just a small sampling of what’s really out there, experts say. There simply isn’t enough genomic sequencing yet to stay on top of new variants taking place in the state or the country, said Dr. Michael Buchmeier, UC Irvine professor of medicine and infectious disease expert. The U.S. is number 43 in the world when it comes to genomic sequencing, although CDC officials recently said they are working to significantly scale this up.
Let People Go Outside
Reason online
2020-05-05
"If you're swimming more than 6 feet away from people, you're probably reasonably safe," Michael Buchmeier, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of California, Irvine, told The Guardian. "The virus is very sensitive to ultraviolet light and very sensitive to heating. It's not likely to survive in heat and sunlight."
California closes Orange county beaches over Covid-19 fears – but how risky is a beach day?
The Guardian online
2020-04-30
Michael Buchmeier, UC Irvine professor of medicine and infectious disease expert, noted that some of the gatherings last weekend did appear to be quite dense. He said the main concern is that asymptomatic carriers could be at the beach spreading the virus, predicting there is a 50/50 chance the recent beach crowds could lead to a “blip” in cases.
Articles (4)
ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Arenaviridae
Journal of General Virology2019 Members of the family Arenaviridae produce enveloped virions containing genomes consisting of two or three single-stranded RNA segments totalling about 10.5 kb. Arenaviruses can infect mammals, including humans and other primates, snakes, and fish. This is a summary of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Report on the family Arenaviridae, which is available at www.ictv.global/report/arenaviridae.
Taxonomy of the order Bunyavirales: update 2019
Archives of Virology volume2019 In February 2019, following the annual taxon ratification vote, the order Bunyavirales was amended by creation of two new families, four new subfamilies, 11 new genera and 77 new species, merging of two species, and deletion of one species. This article presents the updated taxonomy of the order Bunyavirales now accepted by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV).
Taxonomy of the order Bunyavirales: second update 2018
Archives of Virology volume2019 In October 2018, the order Bunyavirales was amended by inclusion of the family Arenaviridae, abolishment of three families, creation of three new families, 19 new genera, and 14 new species, and renaming of three genera and 22 species. This article presents the updated taxonomy of the order Bunyavirales as now accepted by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV).
Taxonomy of the order Mononegavirales: second update 2018
Archives of Virology2019 In October 2018, the order Mononegavirales was amended by the establishment of three new families and three new genera, abolishment of two genera, and creation of 28 novel species. This article presents the updated taxonomy of the order Mononegavirales as now accepted by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV).
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