Investigators and Program Directors
April D. Burch
Research Scientist, Wadsworth Center, Microbial Genetics
Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, Biomedical Sciences
Ph.D., University of Arizona, Tucson (2000)
Postdoctoral Training at the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT
E-mail: aburch@wadsworth.org
Research Interests
Virus Assembly and the Host-Pathogen Interface
Many viruses have evolved mechanisms to not only counter, but also exploit the cellular reaction to infection. For example, during infection, several stress pathways are activated in response to incoming nucleic acids, changes in the amount of unfolded proteins, or the oxidation state of the cell. It has recently been shown that Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 (HSV-1) has evolved a mechanism to sequester various stress-activated chaperone molecules within discrete compartments in the infected cell (Figure 1).
We are interested in:
- whether these chaperone molecules are required for virus-specific mechanisms, such as virus assembly or DNA encapsidation, and
- whether the redistribution of these stress factors results in a temporary anti-apoptotic state that is beneficial for virus production.
Our research will provide information about chaperone-dependent viral processes and may reveal connections between viral infection and the activation of cancer-related anti-apoptotic pathways. Moreover, unique interactions made between viral proteins and cellular chaperone molecules may represent a new frontier of targets for antiviral therapies directly aimed at the host-pathogen interface.
Contact Information
Phone: 518-402-2233
Fax: 518-402-4773
E-mail: aburch@wadsworth.org