The molecular pathology of respiratory viral infections
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Glasgow
Department Name: College of Medical, Veterinary, Life Sci
Abstract
Studentship strategic priority area:Basic and Clinical Research
Keywords:Respiratory infections- Pathology- Coinfection- Virus pathogenesi
Respiratory viral infections can result in diseases that range from a mild cold to life-threatening pneumonia. As respiratory viruses share an ecological niche (the respiratory tract), studying them as a community is a logical approach to capture their interactions and their pathogenic effects [1]. This project aims to i) characterise host responses to viral infections and co-infections; ii) identify virus-induced molecular pathways that lead to respiratory pathology; and iii) determine interactions between co-infecting viruses.
We will establish a pathogenomics platform (based on work by our group [2]) to study virus-host interactions at an unprecedented level of detail. Briefly, we will infect and co-infect respiratory explants with influenza and paramyxoviruses. We will characterise host responses using transcriptomics, assess virus dynamics using real-time PCR, and determine pathological changes using light, confocal and electron microscopy.
We will quantify transcriptomic profiles and link them to histopathological changes to define general intracellular responses (i.e. mounted against all viruses) as well as specific responses (i.e. mounted against specific viruses) within the respiratory tract.
Obtained results will provide insight for the development of novel therapeutic strategies as well as important new information for the development of mathematical models of co-infections that are being developed by our group.
Keywords:Respiratory infections- Pathology- Coinfection- Virus pathogenesi
Respiratory viral infections can result in diseases that range from a mild cold to life-threatening pneumonia. As respiratory viruses share an ecological niche (the respiratory tract), studying them as a community is a logical approach to capture their interactions and their pathogenic effects [1]. This project aims to i) characterise host responses to viral infections and co-infections; ii) identify virus-induced molecular pathways that lead to respiratory pathology; and iii) determine interactions between co-infecting viruses.
We will establish a pathogenomics platform (based on work by our group [2]) to study virus-host interactions at an unprecedented level of detail. Briefly, we will infect and co-infect respiratory explants with influenza and paramyxoviruses. We will characterise host responses using transcriptomics, assess virus dynamics using real-time PCR, and determine pathological changes using light, confocal and electron microscopy.
We will quantify transcriptomic profiles and link them to histopathological changes to define general intracellular responses (i.e. mounted against all viruses) as well as specific responses (i.e. mounted against specific viruses) within the respiratory tract.
Obtained results will provide insight for the development of novel therapeutic strategies as well as important new information for the development of mathematical models of co-infections that are being developed by our group.
