Past Members

Post-Docs

Michelle Toomey Olsen

B.S. Biochemistry, Bridgewater State College
Ph.D Molecular and Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Boston University

My project focuses on understanding viral-host interactions, specifically investigating the cellular pathways important for Ebola infection. Using the EBOV minigenome system and small molecule inhibitors, I am exploring the role of polyamines and hypusination in viral gene expression and replication. Understanding the basic way a virus is taking over the cell may provide insight into the pathogenicity of Ebola as well as provide the ability to target host factors involved in viral replication.

John Ruedas

Ph.D. San Diego State University

I joined Dr. Connor’s lab in June of 2015. I am currently involved in developing a multiplexed diagnostic assay with our collaborators to detect hemorrhagic fever viruses in blood. This assay is being developed as a field-applicable rapid-detection system that will test patients for specific viral infections such as Ebola, Marburg, and Lassa. Rapid diagnosis will in turn help determine available treatments options that are specific for the infection. I am also involved in generating new recombinant viruses for the lab to study. Specifically, I am generating Vesicular Stomatitis Viruses (VSV) that are pseudotyped with surface glycoproteins from hemorrhagic fever viruses. VSV viruses that express these surface glycoproteins can be used as research tools for viral entry mechanisms, help screen for new antibodies that bind to the glycoprotein, and serve as novel vaccine vectors.

Kirsten N. Peters

Current: Field Scientist at BioTek
B.S. Biology-Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Missouri State University
Ph.D. Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri

Rossignol ED, Peters KN, Connor JH, Bullitt E. Zika Virus Induced Cellular Remodeling. Cell Microbiol. 2017 Mar 20. doi: 10.1111/cmi.12740.

Claire Marie Filone

Current: Junior PI at NBACC in Fredrick, MD
B.A. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Franklin &amp Marshall College
Ph.D University of Pennsylvania

Filone CM, Hodges EN, Honeyman B, Bushkin GG, Boyd K, Platt A, Ni F, Strom K, Hensley L, Snyder JK,Connor JH. Identification of a broad-spectrum inhibitor of viral RNA synthesis: validation of a prototype virus-based approach. Chemistry &amp Biology. 2013 Mar 21;20(3):424-33. doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2013.02.011.

Chung DH, Jonsson CB, Tower NA, Chu YK, Sahin E, Golden JE, Noah JW, Schroeder CE, Sotsky JB, Sosa MI, Cramer DE, McKellip SN, Rasmussen L, White EL, Schmaljohn CS, Julander JG, Smith JM, Filone CM, Connor JH, Sakurai Y, Davey RA. Discovery of a novel compound with anti-venezuelan equine encephalitis virus activity that targets the nonstructural protein 2. PloS Pathogens. 2014 Jun 26;10(6):e1004213. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004213. eCollection 2014.

Dan Rozelle

Current: Visiting Scientist in Analytical R&D, Microbiology at Pfizer Inc
B.A. Cellular Biology, California Polytechnic State University
Ph.D Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Davis

Rozelle DK, Filone CM, Kedersha N, Connor JH. Activation of stress response pathways promotes formation of antiviral granules and restricts virus replication. Molecular Cell Biology. 2014 Jun;34(11):2003-16. doi: 10.1128/MCB.01630-13. Epub 2014 Mar 24.

Rozelle DK, Filone CM, Dower K, Connor JH. Vaccinia reporter viruses for quantifying viral function at all stages of gene expression. Journal of Visualized Experiments. 2014 May 15;(87). doi: 10.3791/51522.

Gammon DB, Duraffour S, Rozelle DK, Hehnly H, Sharma R, Sparks ME, West CC, Chen Y, Moresco JJ, Andrei G, Connor JH, Conte D Jr, Gundersen-Rindal DE, Marshall WL, Yates JR, Silverman N, Mello CC. A single vertebrate DNA virus protein disarms invertebrate immunity to RNA virus infection. eLife. 2014 Jun 25;3. doi: 10.7554/eLife.02910.

Ewan Frazer Dunn

Current: Senior Scientist at Rubius
Ph.D Virology, Glasgow University

Dunn EF, Connor JH. Dominant inhibition of Akt/protein kinase B signaling by the matrix protein of a negative-strand RNA virus. Journal of Virology. 2011 Jan;85(1):422-31. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01671-10. Epub 2010 Oct 27.

Dunn EF, Fearns R, Connor JH. Akt inhibitor Akt-IV blocks virus replication through an Akt-independent mechanism. Journal of Virology. 2009 Nov;83(22):11665-72. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01092-09. Epub 2009 Sep 9.

Ken Dower

Current: Senior Scientist at Pfizer

Dower K, Filone CM, Hodges EN, Bjornson ZB, Rubins KH, Brown LE, Schaus S, Hensley LE, Connor JH. Identification of a pyridopyrimidinone inhibitor of orthopoxviruses from a diversity-oriented synthesis library. Journal of Virology. 2012 Mar;86(5):2632-40. doi: 10.1128/JVI.05416-11. Epub 2011 Dec 28.

Dower K, Rubins KH, Hensley LE, Connor JH. Development of Vaccinia reporter viruses for rapid, high content analysis of viral function at all stages of gene expression. Antiviral Research. 2011 Jul;91(1):72-80. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2011.04.014. Epub 2011 May 5.

Filone CM, Dower K, Cowley GS, Hensley LE, Connor JH. Probing the virus host interaction in high containment: an approach using pooled short hairpin RNA. ASSAY and Drug Development Technologies. 2015 Jan-Feb;13(1):34-43. doi: 10.1089/adt.2014.613. Epub 2015 Feb 3.

Rozelle DK, Filone CM, Dower K, Connor JH. Vaccinia reporter viruses for quantifying viral function at all stages of gene expression. Journal of Visualized Experiments. 2014 May 15;(87). doi: 10.3791/51522.

Chan WM, Bartee EC, Moreb JS, Dower K, Connor JH, McFadden G. Myxoma and vaccinia viruses bind differentially to human leukocytes. Journal of Virology. 2013 Apr;87(8):4445-60. doi: 10.1128/JVI.03488-12. Epub 2013 Feb 6.

Simpson-Holley M, Kedersha N, Dower K, Rubins KH, Anderson P, Hensley LE, Connor JH. Formation of antiviral cytoplasmic granules during orthopoxvirus infection. Journal of Virology. 2011 Feb;85(4):1581-93. doi: 10.1128/JVI.02247-10. Epub 2010 Dec 8.

Martha Simpson-Holley

Current: Co-Founder Pretty Things Beer and Ales Project

Simpson-Holley M, Kedersha N, Dower K, Rubins KH, Anderson P, Hensley LE, Connor JH. Formation of antiviral cytoplasmic granules during orthopoxvirus infection. Journal of Virology. 2011 Feb;85(4):1581-93. doi: 10.1128/JVI.02247-10. Epub 2010 Dec 8.

Graduate Students

PhD

Michaela (Smith) Schultz

Email: mjsmith1@bu.edu
B.S. Biology, Florida Gulf Coast University
Current: Ph.D. Molecular and Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Boston University

My thesis investigates polymicrobial interactions in disease vectors. I have shown inhibition of Zika virus and dengue virus by a component of the mosquito microbiome, Wolbachia pipientis. Diverse strains of the Wolbachia bacteria infect mosquito cells limiting viral growth. I have characterized this inhibition and identified a mechanism surrounding these interactions. These studies provide insight into strengthening and understanding methods of disease control.

Emily Speranza

Email: speranza@bu.edu
B.A. Biology and Mathematics, Carroll College
Current: Ph.D. Bioinformatics Program, Boston University

My project is focused on understanding the host response to viral hemorrhagic fever. I use a combination of RNA-Seq, microarray, and Nanostring data and understand how the host response is different between different infections (Lassa, Marburg, and Ebola) and to understand the differences in the host response between survivors and non-survivors.

Ignacio S Caballero

Senior Bioinformatics Researcher at Center for Regenerative Medicine, Boston University
B.S. Computer Science, Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca
M.S. Bioinformatics, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Ph.D Bioinformatics, Boston University

Caballero IS, Yen JY, Hensley LE, Honko AN, Goff AJ, Connor JH. Lassa and Marburg viruses elicit distinct host transcriptional responses early after infection. BMC Genomics. 2014 Nov 6;15:960. doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-960.

Connor JH, Yen J, Caballero IS, Garamszegi S, Malhotra S, Lin K, Hensley L, Goff AJ. Transcriptional Profiling of the Immune Response to Marburg Virus Infection. Journal of Virology. 2015 Oct;89(19):9865-74. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01142-15. Epub 2015 Jul 22.

Sara Garamszegi

Current: Program Manager at the Broad Institute
B.S. Biology &amp Computer Science, University of Miami
Ph.D Bioinformatics, Boston University

Garamszegi S, Yen JY, Honko AN, Geisbert JB, Rubins KH, Geisbert TW, Xia Y, Hensley LE, Connor JH. Transcriptional correlates of disease outcome in anticoagulant-treated non-human primates infected with ebolavirus. PloS Neglacted Tropical Diseases. 2014 Jul 31;8(7):e3061. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003061. eCollection 2014.

Connor JH, Yen J, Caballero IS, Garamszegi S, Malhotra S, Lin K, Hensley L, Goff AJ. Transcriptional Profiling of the Immune Response to Marburg Virus Infection. Journal of Virology. 2015 Oct;89(19):9865-74. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01142-15. Epub 2015 Jul 22.

Malhotra S, Yen JY, Honko AN, Garamszegi S, Caballero IS, Johnson JC, Mucker EM, Trefry JC, Hensley LE,Connor JH. Transcriptional profiling of the circulating immune response to lassa virus in an aerosol model of exposure. PLOS Neglacted Tropical Diseases. 2013 Apr 25;7(4):e2171. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002171. Print 2013.

Yen J.Y., Garamszegi S., Geisbert, J.B., Rubins K.H., Geisbert T.W., Xia Y., Connor J.H., Hensley L.E. Therapeutics of Ebola hemorrhagic fever: Whole-genome transcriptional analysis of successful disease mitigation. Journal of Infectious Diseases. In press.

Janos D.P., Garamszegi S., Beltran B.J. Glomalin extraction and measurement. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 40 (2008): 728-739. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2007.10.007

Erin Hodges

Current: Postdoctoral Fellow: CDC
B.S. Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee
Ph.D Microbiology, Boston University

Hodges EN, Heinrich BS, Connor JH. A vesiculovirus showing a steepened transcription gradient and dominant trans-repression of virus transcription. Journal of Virology. 2012 Aug;86(16):8884-9. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00358-12. Epub 2012 Jun 6.

Filone CM, Hodges EN, Honeyman B, Bushkin GG, Boyd K, Platt A, Ni F, Strom K, Hensley L, Snyder JK, Connor JH. Identification of a broad-spectrum inhibitor of viral RNA synthesis: validation of a prototype virus-based approach. Chemistry & Biology. 2013 Mar 21;20(3):424-33. doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2013.02.011.

Dower K, Filone CM, Hodges EN, Bjornson ZB, Rubins KH, Brown LE, Schaus S, Hensley LE, Connor JH. Identification of a pyridopyrimidinone inhibitor of orthopoxviruses from a diversity-oriented synthesis library. Journal of Virology. 2012 Mar;86(5):2632-40. doi: 10.1128/JVI.05416-11. Epub 2011 Dec 28.

Filone CM, Hodges EN, Honeyman B, Bushkin GG, Boyd K, Platt A, Ni F, Strom K, Hensley L, Snyder JK, Connor JH. Identification of a broad-spectrum inhibitor of viral RNA synthesis: validation of a prototype virus-based approach. Chemistry &amp Biology. 2013 Mar 21;20(3):424-33. doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2013.02.011.

Masters

Wan Huang

Current Medical Student, Boston University School of Medicine

Jonathan Lo

B.S. Biology and Bioinformatics, Loyola University Chicago
M.S. in Bioinformatics, Boston University

Lo J, Zhang D, Speranza E, Negron JA, Connor JH. HoTResDB: Host Transcriptional Response Database for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers. Bioinformatics. 2017 Sep 22. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btx599. [Epub ahead of print]

Deric Zhang

B.S. Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut
M.S. in Bioinformatics Program, Boston University

Lo J, Zhang D, Speranza E, Negron JA, Connor JH. HoTResDB: Host Transcriptional Response Database for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers. Bioinformatics. 2017 Sep 22. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btx599. [Epub ahead of print]

Laboratory Technicians

A.J. Devaux

B.S. Biology, UMass Boston

Ali Soucy

MPH, Boston University
B.S. Nutritional Sciences, University of New Hampshire

Maohua Lei

Email: malei@bu.edu

Erik Carter

Current: Technician at Genocea
B.S. Pathobiology, University of Connecticut

Carter EP, Seymour EÇ, Scherr SM, Daaboul GG, Freedman DS, Selim Ünlü M, Connor JH. Visualizing Ebolavirus Particles Using Single-Particle Interferometric Reflectance Imaging Sensor (SP-IRIS). Methods Mol Biol. 2017;1628:259-270. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7116-9_21.

Scherr SM, Freedman DS, Agans KN, Rosca A, Carter E, Kuroda M, Fawcett HE, Mire CE, Geisbert TW, Ünlü MS, Connor JH. Disposable cartridge platform for rapid detection of viral hemorrhagic fever viruses. Lab Chip. 2017 Feb 28;17(5):917-925. doi: 10.1039/c6lc01528j.

Judy Yen

Current: Immunology Core, NEIDL
B.S. Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego
M.S. Virology, University of California, San Diego

Yen JY, Garamszegi S, Geisbert JB, Rubins KH, Geisbert TW, Xia Y, Connor JH, and Hensley LE. “Therapeutics of Ebola hemorrhagic fever: Whole-genome transcriptional analysis of successful disease mitigation.” J Infect Dis., 204 Suppl 3:S1043-52 (2011)

Sanchez V, McElroy AK, Yen JY, Tamrakar S, Clark CL, Schwartz R, and Spector DH. “Cyclin Dependent Kinase Activity is Required at Early Times for Proper Splicing of the HCMV UL122-123 and UL37 Transcripts and at Later Times for Virus Production.” J Virol., 78(20):11219-11232 (2004)

Fortunato EA, Sanchez V, Yen JY, and Spector DH. “Infection of Cells with Human Cytomegalovirus during S Phase Results in a Blockade to Immediate-Early Gene Expression That Can Be Overcome by Inhibition of the Proteasome.” J. Virol., 76(11):5369-5379 (2002)

Sanchez V, Clark CL, Yen JY, Dwarakanath R, and Spector DH. “Viable Human Cytomegalovirus Recombinant Virus with an Internal Deletion of the IE2 86 Gene Affects Late Stages of Viral Replication.” J. Virol., 76(6): 2973-2989 (2002)

Undergraduate Students

Jake Awtry

Current: M.D. Candidate: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
B.A. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University Kilachand Honors College
M.A. Biotechnology, Boston University

Yuying Guo

Current: B.A. Biology, Bryn Mawr College