Molecular and Pathogenic Virology Lab
Description
The LMPV is a state-of-the-art facility for investigation of viral pathogens. The research focus includes basic studies on viral life cycle and replicative mechanisms, pathogenesis studies in animal models, and development and evaluation of viral diagnostics and therapeutics. The goal of the LMPV is to assemble a critical mass of senior and junior virologists in a common environment that will foster collaborative interactions, intellectual synergy, and the efficient use of resources.
Facilities
The LMPV is a 5,434 sq. ft. open laboratory in room 209 in the School of Rural Public Health (SRPH) Building B. In addition to the open lab bench space, the LMPV contains two tissue culture suites of three rooms each, plus additional rooms for freezers, large equipment, a darkroom, a microscopy room, storage rooms, a radioactive materials area, and a glassware washing/autoclave facility. The tissue culture suites are suitable for BL2 containment and altogether contain 8 biological safety hoods and 8 double-stack CO2 incubators. In total the LMPV contains 7,666 sq. ft. of research space. The facility is well equipped with all the standard instruments for modern virological research, including a Beckman Optima L-80XP ultracentrifuge and tabletop ultracentrifuge, a DU800 UV/Vis spectrophotometer, an X-ray film developer, a scintillation counter, a Sorval RC6 Plus high-speed centrifuge, standard thermocylcers, an ABI Real-time PCR machine, fluorescent and phase contrast microscopes, a Storm Phosphorimager, an Alpha Innotech gel documentation system, a Tecan multimode plate reader, a FACSCaliber flow cytometer, and a BioRad 2-D gel system, as well as shakers and incubators for bacteriological work.
Faculty
- Dr. Julian Leibowitz, M.D./Ph.D.
Professor
Coronavirus replication and gene expression and the molecular basis of coronavirus pathogenesis - Dr. John Quarles, Ph.D.
Professor - Antiviral vaccines and drugs and applications of flow cytometry in microbiology
- Dr. Veronica Sanchez, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Pathways of human cytomegalovirus assembly and interactions with host cell cycle machinery - Dr. Van Wilson, Ph.D.
Professor
Molecular biology of papillomaviruses; Sumoylation and viruses
