The Andria S. and Paul G. Heafy Fellow since 2015, Rouskin has focused primarily on understanding how RNAs fold in cells, how those structures can regulate gene expression in healthy cells, and how misfolded RNAs may be involved in diseases such as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Rouskin’s work indicates that the RNA itself may regulate which proteins are produced from it: The HIV RNA folds into several distinct shapes and, by exposing or hiding certain signals on its surface, can control which genes are expressed. Building on that work, she is analyzing the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome’s structure, seeking to identify ways to block its ability to infect human cells.