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Geiss Lab

Our group’s focus, as part of the Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases (CVID), is to understand how RNA viruses replicate at the molecular and biochemical levels in order to develop novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of arboviral diseases. We are also interested in developing novel virus-based tools that can be used by the wider scientific community. We use a wide range of tools (classical virology, molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, engineering, computational biology, etc.) to understand how these important human pathogens replicate and use this information to help improve human and animal health.

Dr. Brian Geiss is the director of the Master of Science in Microbiology – Immunology program. This nine-month, non-thesis program is designed to strengthen the scientific academic portfolio of those seeing terminal professional degrees and provide preparation for those seeking careers in biotechnology and research.

research project

Mechanism of Flavivirus RNA Capping

Mosquito-borne flaviviruses are a continuing public health threat. There are currently few vaccines available against flaviviruses and no antiviral therapeutics available for clinical use. This project will provide insight for the development of new antivirals and vaccines to combat these pathogens.

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research project

Real Time Monitor for Airborne Viral Pathogens

The Geiss lab and ADev staff have developed carbon-based electrode arrays that are capable of detecting virus particles, a way to modify carbon electrodes with affinity agents that can selectively bind either virus particle simulants and/or virus particles, and a method for integrating working elect.

Publications

Development of a SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid specific monoclonal antibody.

Terry JS, Anderson LB, Scherman MS, McAlister CE, Perera R, Schountz T, Geiss BJ.
Virology. 2021 Jun;558:28-37. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2021.01.003. Epub 2021 Feb 1. PMID: 33714753

SARS-CoV-2 infection, neuropathogenesis and transmission among deer mice: Implications for spillback to New World rodents.

Fagre A, Lewis J, Eckley M, Zhan S, Rocha SM, Sexton NR, Burke B, Geiss B, Peersen O, Bass T, Kading R, Rovnak J, Ebel GD, Tjalkens RB, Aboellail T, Schountz T.
PLoS Pathog. 2021 May 19;17(5):e1009585. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009585. eCollection 2021 May. PMID: 34010360

Conserved motifs in the flavivirus NS3 RNA helicase enzyme.

Du Pont KE, McCullagh M, Geiss BJ.
Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA. 2022 Mar;13(2):e1688. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1688. Epub 2021 Sep 2. PMID: 34472205

Electrochemical Immunoassay for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein in Nasopharyngeal Samples.

Samper IC, McMahon CJ, Schenkel MS, Clark KM, Khamcharoen W, Anderson LBR, Terry JS, Gallichotte EN, Ebel GD, Geiss BJ, Dandy DS, Henry CS.
Anal Chem. 2022 Mar 22;94(11):4712-4719. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c04966. Epub 2022 Mar 9. PMID: 35263100

A Hyperactive Kunjin Virus NS3 Helicase Mutant Demonstrates Increased Dissemination and Mortality in Mosquitoes.

Du Pont KE, Sexton NR, McCullagh M, Ebel GD, Geiss BJ.
J Virol. 2020 Sep 15;94(19):e01021-20. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01021-20. Print 2020 Sep 15. PMID: 32699093

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