Jennifer La Vail, Ph.D. - The Intracellular Transport of Neurotropic Viruses
Todd Margolis, M.D., Ph.D. - Neuronal Regulation of Herpes Simplex Virus Infection
David Sretavan, M.D., Ph.D. - Retinal Axons in Growth and Disease

(more opportunities to come soon!)

David W. Sretavan M.D., Ph.D. email: dws@itsa.ucsf.edu    Our laboratory is interested how retinal ganglion cells and their axons interact with the molecular environment of the optic nerve both during normal development and in the settings of trauma and disease.  Specific research areas include: 1) Mechanisms of axon pathfinding and connectivity between the retina and the CNS. 2) Molecules and retinal axon growth in optic nerve injury and regeneration. 3) The optic nerve environment in glaucoma. Research studies are conducted using various mouse models of eye development and disease.  Methodologies include cell culture, in vivo embryo manipulations, gene expression, time-lapse microscopy, recombinant proteins, and transgenic animals.  Research opportunities are available to UCSF and visiting students usually as 12 month projects, although 3 month or summer research projects will also be considered.   Selected publications Deiner, M., Kennedy, T., Fazeli, A., Serafini, T., Tessier-Lavigne, M., D.W. Sretavan (1997) Netrin-1 and DCC Mediate Axon Guidance Locally At The Optic Disc: Loss of Function Leads to Optic Nerve Hypoplasia.  Neuron 19:575-589. Birgbauer, E., Cowan, C.A., Sretavan, D. W., and M.Henkemeyer  (2000) Kinase Independent Function of Ephb Receptors in Retinal Axon Pathfinding to the Optic Disc from Dorsal but not Ventral Retina.  Development 127:1231-1241. Birgbauer, E., S. Oster, C. Severin, and D. Sretavan (2001) Retinal axon growth cones respond to EphB extracellular domains as inhibitory axon guidance cues.  Development 128:3041-3048. More David Sretavan Research Info Back to top

Jennifer LaVail, Ph.D phone: (415) 476-1694 email: jhl@itsa.ucsf.edu    Understanding the mechanisms of intraaxonal transport of neurotropic viruses is the key to understanding and controlling their spread between the epithelial surface and the nervous system. A second focus of the lab is to understand the mechanisms by which Herpes virus spreads within and between corneal cells.  Specific research areas include: 1) Mechanism that control the assembly and transport of Herpes simplex virus in neurons. 2) Real-time imaging of the movement of GFP-labeled viral protein in axons. 3) Host cell and viral glycoproteins that direct the spread of virus in corneal epithelium. 4) Factors that affect viral patterns of encephalitis. To carry out these studies, we have identified two viral mutant strains that will facilitate our research into these transport mechanisms. We analyze their behaviors using cell culture, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy and protein chemistry. We are looking for UCSF and visiting medical and graduate students to join our group for long-term projects as well as for 3 month projects. Selected publications Ohara, P.T., Chin, M.S. and J.H. LaVail. The spread of Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 from trigeminal neurons to cornea: an immunoelectron microscopy study. J.Virol. 74:4776-4786, 2000. Bearer, E.L., X.O. Breakefield, D. Schuback, T.S. Reese and J.H. LaVail. Retrograde axonal transport of herpes simplex virus: evidence for a single mechanism and a role for tegument. P.N.A.S. (USA), 97 (14): 8146-8150, 2000 Ohara, P.T., Tauscher, A.N. and J.H. LaVail. Two paths for dissemination of Herpes simplex virus from infected trigeminal ganglion to murine cornea. Brain Res. 899: 260-263, 2001. More Jennifer La Vail Research Info Back to top Todd P. Margolis M.D., Ph.D. email: tpms@itsa.ucsf.edu Our laboratory is primarily interested in neuronal regulation of latent infection with Herpes Simplex Virus. Specific research areas include: 1) Identifying and characterizing neuronal gene products that repress productive HSV infection. 2) Differences in the regulation of latent infection of HSV-1 and HSV-2. 3) The development of a novel model for studying spontaneous reactivation of HSV-1 from latent infection. Research studies are conducted using techniques ranging from basic molecular methods, to cell culture systems to mouse models of HSV ocular disease. We also make extensive use of fluorescence and confocal microscopy and in situ hybridization. Research opportunities are available to UCSF and visiting students usually as 12 month projects, although 3 month or summer research projects will also be considered. We have recently expanded our research interests to include the study of the molecular genetics of corneal dystrophies. Selected publications Yang L, CC Voytek and TP Margolis. Immunohistochemical Analysis of Primary Sensory Neurons Latently Infected with Herpes Simplex Virus. J. Virol 74:209-217, 2000. Ellison A, L Yang and TP Margolis: Establishment of Latent Herpes SimplexVirus type 1 Infection in Resistant, Sensitive and Immunodeficient Mouse Strains. Virology 268:17-28, 2000. Summers BC, TP Margolis and DA Leib: HSV-1 Corneal Infection Results in Periocular Disease by Zosteriform Spread. J. Virol. 75:5069-5075, 2001. Feldman LT, AR Ellison, CC Voytek, L Yang, P Krause and TP Margolis. Molecular Reactivation of HSV-1 Latency in Mouse Trigeminal Ganglia. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 99:978-83, 2002. Ellison AR, L Yang, AV Cevallos and TP Margolis: Analysis of the HSV UL6 Coding Region in Patients with HSV Necrotizing Stromal Keratitis. Virology 310: 24-26, 2003. Warren JF, Aldave AJ, Srinivasan M, Thonar EJ, Kumar AB, Cevallos V, Whitcher JP, Margolis TP. Novel mutations in the CHST6 gene associated with macular corneal dystrophy in southern India. Arch Ophthalmol. 2003 Nov; 121(11): 1608-12. More Todd Margolis Research Info Back to top