Nanovaccine Initiative Seminar
Date/Time: | Monday, 10 Nov 2014 from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm |
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Location: | 171 Durham Center |
Cost: | Free |
URL: | http://www.nanovaccine.iastate.edu/seminars/ |
Contact: | |
Phone: | 515-294-4902 |
Channel: | Research |
Categories: | Lectures |
Actions: | Download iCal/vCal | Email Reminder |
Abstract
Ebola virus outbreaks are devastating, unpredictable and occurring with increasing severity and frequency. In February 2014, Ebola virus infection was documented in West Africa, first in Guinea and then spreading to Liberia and Sierra Leone. An uncontrolled, full blown epidemic is now occurring. As was recently demonstrated in Texas, Ebola virus entry into the US and subsequent person-to-person transmission is just a plane flight away. No antivirals or vaccines are currently approved by the FDA against filoviruses. These recent events provide a compelling rationale to better understand the life cycle of these viruses, ideally leading to the development of antivirals against this family of viruses. Our lab identified TIM-1 as one of the cell surface receptors used by Ebola virus for entry into cells. In the past few years, we have extended this work, characterizing the interaction of TIM proteins with Ebola virus, identifying a novel virus/cell interaction that is responsible for virion entry into cells. Details of the interactions will be discussed along with recent findings that TIM-1 is critically important for Ebola virus infection and pathogenesis in vivo.