Virology

First cryo-electron microscopy views of an intracellular positive-strand RNA virus genomic RNA replication complex. This 3D cryo-EM imaging reveals the bounding membrane (white), genomic dsRNA template (red), crown-like, 12-fold symmetric multimer of viral RNA replication proteins (blue), and a progeny genomic RNA (straight red RNA strand at top) exiting the replication complex for translation and encapsidation. From Ertel et al. (2017) eLife 6:e25940.

Human cells succumbing to HIV infection. HeLa cells expressing a fluorescent protein-tagged version of the HIV receptor CD4 (green) were infected with HIV and visualized over four days using fluorescence video microscopy. HIV is tracked using a red fluorescent protein-tagged version of the viral Gag protein (red). New HIV particles leaving infected cells appear as bright red dots. At the end of imaging, several cells round up due to virus-induced cell cycle arrest, prior to undergoing apoptosis (programmed cell death). From Professor Nathan Sherer with movie made by Alex Olson and Laraine Zimdars.

Viruses remain one of the greatest public health challenges, causing an amazing variety of diseases and increasingly threatening deadly, globe-spreading pandemics like Ebola. Viruses also cause at least 15% of human cancers, are suspected to contribute to neurological other chronic diseases, and are rising as bioterrorism threats. New pathogenic viruses like HIV, MERS, Zika, etc. are emerging at an accelerating pace, driven by increasing human population density, wild habitat encroachment, phenomenal viral mutation rates and other trends. In parallel, viruses are a major source of insights into normal cell biology, and provide expanding tools for biomedicine, biotechnology and nanotechnology.

Drawing on widely recognized UW-Madison strengths in virology and associated fields, the CMB Virology Focus Group comprises a large set of interactive laboratories including leaders engaged in pioneering studies of the mechanisms of viral evolution, replication, gene expression, host interactions, pathogenesis, control and other issues. Students in the Virology Program join a diverse, supportive and collaborative research community using and developing cutting-edge approaches in genomics, genome-wide molecular genetics, computational biology and bioinformatics, live cell and cryo-electron microscopy, structural biology, and other fields. Campus strengths in virology are further illustrated and CMB Virology Program activities are enhanced by highly productive interactions with groups such as the Human Cancer Virology Program of the UW Carbone Cancer Center, UW’s Institute for Molecular Virology and Global Health Institute, and the Rowe Center for Research in Virology at the Morgridge Institute for Research. Virology seminars are events are posted here.

Focus Group Chair Paul Ahlquist
Oncology Department
Molecular mechanisms of virus replication, gene expression and host interactions
ahlquist@wisc.edu

Focus Group Members

Adam Bailey

Credentials: Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Department

Position title: Viral Pathogenesis, Zoonosis, & Medical Countermeasures

Email: albailey@wisc.edu

Phone: 608-262-6321

Address:
Room 1774 WIMR
1111 Highland Avenue
Madison, WI, 53705.

Curtis Brandt

Credentials: Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Department

Position title: Virology, Herpes Simplex Virus, antivirals, gene therapy

Email: crbrandt@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 262-8054

Address:
550a Bardeen Medical Laboratory
470 N Charter St
Madison, WI 53706

Pippa Cosper

Credentials: Human Oncology

Position title: Chromosomal instability, radiation sensitivity, DNA tumor viruses

Email: cosper@wisc.edu

Phone: (303)-887-8110

Address:
WIMR I
Office: 3057
Lab: 4088
1111 Highland Avenue
Madison, WI 53076

David Evans

Credentials: Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Department

Position title: Host-pathogen interactions for HIV and SIV

Email: dtevans2@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 265-1485

Address:
Room 126
585 Science Dr
Madison, WI 53711

Thomas Friedrich

Credentials: Pathobiological Sciences Department

Position title: Immunity to influenza and AIDS viruses

Email: thomasf@primate.wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 265-3381

Address:
Room 127
585 Science Dr
Madison, WI 53711

Marta Gaglia

Credentials: Medical Microbiology and Immunology

Position title: Virus-host interactions in influenza viruses and herpes viruses

Email: Marta.Gaglia@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 263-5551

Address:
R.M. Bock Labs 821
1525 Linden Dr.
Madison, WI 53706

Eric Johannsen

Credentials: Medicine Department

Position title: Transcription, Growth Transformation, Notch Signaling

Email: ejohannsen@medicine.wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 262-9952

Address:
6531 Wi Institute Medical Research
1111 Highland Ave
Madison, WI 53705

Rob Kalejta

Credentials: Oncology Department

Position title: Epigenetics of HCMV transcription

Email: rfkalejta@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 265-5546

Address:
641 Robert M Bock Lab
1525 Linden Dr
Madison, WI 53706

Yoshihiro Kawaoka

Credentials: Pathobiological Sciences Department

Position title: Molecular pathogenesis of influenza and Ebola viruses

Email: yoshihiro.kawaoka@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 265-4925

Address:
Room 230
575 Science Dr
Madison, WI 53711

Robert Kirchdoerfer

Credentials: Biochemistry Department

Position title: Single-particle cryo-electron microscopy of viral proteins

Email: rnkirchdoerf@wisc.edu

Address:
205A Bock Laboratories
1525 Linden Drive
Madison, WI 53706

Paul Lambert

Credentials: Oncology Department

Position title: Small DNA tumor viruses

Email: plambert@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 213-1196

Address:
6459 Wi Institute Medical Research
1111 Highland Ave
Madison, WI 53705

Dan Loeb

Credentials: Oncology Department

Position title: Molecular biology of hepatitis B viruses

Email: loeb@oncology.wisc.edu

Phone: 608-262-1260

Address:
6453 WIMR
1111 Highland Ave.
Madison, WI 53706

Kinjal Majumder

Credentials: Oncology Department

Position title: Mechanisms of virus localization to cellular DNA breaks

Email: kmajumder@wisc.edu

Address:
Robert M Bock Lab
1525 Linden Dr
Madison, WI 53706

Andrew Mehle

Credentials: Medical Microbiology & Immunology Department

Position title: Defining the virus: host interface for influenza virus

Email: amehle@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 263-1978

Address:
3325 Microbial Sciences Building
1550 Linden Dr
Madison, WI 53706

Kavi Mehta

Credentials: Comparative Biosciences Department

Position title: Replication-coupled DNA repair

Email: kmehta@wisc.edu

Phone: 608-213-2055

Address:
Veterinary Medicine Building
2015 Linden Dr.
Madison, WI 53706

Emma Mohr

Credentials: Pediatrics Department

Position title: Defines congenital viral infection outcomes

Email: emohr2@wisc.edu

Phone: 608-265-5107

Address:
H6/538 Clinical Sciences Center
600 Highland Ave.
Madison, WI 53792

Donna Neumann

Credentials: Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Department

Position title: Epigenetic control of DNA Virus transcription

Email: dneumann3@wisc.edu

Phone: 608-263-6176

Address:
677A MSC
1300 University Ave.
Madison, WI 53706

David O'Connor

Credentials: Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Department

Position title: Viral genomics and pathogenesis

Email: dhoconno@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 890-0845

Address:
Room 135
585 Science Dr
Madison, WI 53711

Shelby O'Connor

Credentials: Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Department

Position title: Infectious diseases and public health

Email: slfeinberg@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 890-0843

Address:
Room 132
585 Science Dr
Madison, WI 53711

Aurelie Rakotondrafara

Credentials: Plant Pathology Department

Position title: Viral translation and plant defense controls

Email: rakotondrafa@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 890-1871

Address:
284 Russell Laboratories
1630 Linden Dr
Madison, WI 53706

Nathan Sherer

Credentials: Oncology Department

Position title: Cell biology of HIV replication

Email: nsherer@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 890-2551

Address:
501 Robert M Bock Lab
1525 Linden Dr
Madison, WI 53706

Lloyd Smith

Credentials: Chemistry Department

Position title: Development and application of novel bioanalytical methods; new instrumentation and chemistries for biological mass spectrometry and biologically modified surfaces

Email: smith@chem.wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 263-2594

Address:
4209a F Daniels & Jh Mathews Chem Bl
1101 University Ave
Madison, WI 53706