Bristow Ben Joseph

Mr. Bristow Ben Joseph

Centre for Integrative Omics Data Science (CIODS), Yenepoya University, Mangalore, India
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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13 December 2025 in Viruses
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
ALAnjana C Lalu
Anjana C Lalu
VKVarun T K
Varun T K
Bristow Ben JosephBristow Ben Joseph
Bristow Ben Joseph
RDRADUL R Dev
RADUL R Dev
ATAmritha Thaikkad
Amritha Thaikkad
AJAbhithaj Jayanandan
Abhithaj Jayanandan
Hendra virus (HeV) is a highly pathogenic zoonotic paramyxovirus that poses a serious threat to human and equine health, yet no approved antivirals or vaccines currently exist. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of Hendra virus represents a critical and attractive target for antiviral drug development, given its essential role in both viral genome replication and mRNA transcription. Due to the lack of a human homolog, it is more druggable and less likely to cause host toxicity. Its sequence conservation among related paramyxoviruses further highlights its potential for the development of broad-spectrum inhibitors. This study offers the first comprehensive computational analysis of the Hendra virus RdRp, potentially promising FDA-approved drugs as possible inhibitors. A homology model of RdRp was generated in the absence of experimental three-dimensional (3D) structure, followed by virtual screening and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to evaluate the drug binding and stability. Based on the highest energy, four FDA-approved drugs selected were menadiol diphosphate (−49.88 kcal/mol), masoprocol (−39.69 kcal/mol), pamidronic acid (−34.29 kcal/mol), and dinoprostone (−46.90 kcal/mol). Furthermore, these compounds exhibited significant interactions with the catalytic GDNE motif. With strong conformational stability and pharmacokinetic profile, masoprocol and menadiol diphosphate showed the most stable and energetically favorable interactions within the RdRp active site. These findings suggest their potential as repurposed therapeutic candidates against Hendra virus infection and they provide a structural basis for the development of broad-spectrum paramyxovirus inhibitors, justifying additional experimental confirmation.

19 December 2025 in Journal of Molecular Graphics and Modelling
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
ALAnjana C. Lalu
Anjana C. Lalu
Bristow Ben JosephBristow Ben Joseph
Bristow Ben Joseph
VKVarun T K
Varun T K
ATAmritha Thaikkad
Amritha Thaikkad
LDLeona Dcunha
Leona Dcunha
AJAbhithaj Jayanandan
Abhithaj Jayanandan

27 July 2026 in Viruses
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
AAAkash Anil
Akash Anil
AJAyisha A Jabbar
Ayisha A Jabbar
VSVineetha Shaji
Vineetha Shaji
MAMukhtar Ahmed
Mukhtar Ahmed
Bristow Ben JosephBristow Ben Joseph
Bristow Ben Joseph
RRRajesh Raju
Rajesh Raju
West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen of escalating epidemiological importance and a growing global health concern, driven by the climate-associated expansion of its Culex mosquito vectors. Although WNV is an extensively studied flavivirus, most host–pathogen interaction studies focus on static and structural aspects rather than dynamic and functional ones. Delineating phosphorylation-mediated interactions between WNV proteins and human kinases bridges a critical gap by providing important insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying infection. In this study, we investigated potential phosphorylation-mediated interactions between WNV proteins and human kinases using an integrative computational framework combining motif prediction, phosphoproteomic data analysis and structural docking. Key interactions were predicted between viral proteins and regulatory kinases within the AKT-ERK pathway and the AMPK-mediated autophagy, including major network kinases such as RAF1, IKBKB, and ULK1. In addition, experimentally validated phosphorylation sites in viral proteins were found to be associated with multiple candidate host kinases, including MAP2K7 and MAP2K9, suggesting complex regulatory networks. Integration with phosphoproteomic datasets supported the relevance of multiple predicted kinases, including those associated with antiviral responses and translational regulation. Protein–protein docking demonstrated stable, energetically favorable interactions between selected host kinases and viral proteins, particularly the viral polymerase (NS5), helicase (NS3), and NS1. The findings of this study establish a framework for future research on the development of host-directed antiviral strategies.