Telling Lab

While the Telling Laboratory is particularly recognized for their work on transgenic mouse modeling of prion diseases, it is one of only a handful of research groups with the resources and expertise for studying prion diseases using whole animal, transgenic, cell biological, biochemical, and molecular genetic approaches. Over the years, we have been recognized for our studies of human prions, the molecular basis of the species barrier, prion strains and their zoonotic potential, and, more recently, chronic wasting disease (CWD) of cervids.

Our ability to liaise and collaborate with the prion community is also significant. In combination with skills and perspectives provided by our talented collaborators, the Telling Laboratory is in a unique position to investigate the molecular events underlying prion propagation, species barriers and strains, which remain the overarching goals of Dr. Telling’s research program, a part of the CSU Prion Research Center.

research project

NIH Program Project Pathogenesis, Transmission and Detection of Zoonotic Prion Diseases: Modeling the Mechanisms of Prion Transmission, Strain Selection, Mutation and Species Barrier in Transgenic Mice

In this PO1 we investigate the mechanism of infectious prion propagation. Emphasis is placed on studying the factors controlling interspecies transmission. The central hypothesis of this work is that prion species barriers and agent strain properties are governed by primary and tertiary structural interactions between PrPSc constituting the infectious agent and PrPC expressed in the infected host.

research project

NIH Program Project Pathogenesis, Transmission and Detection of Zoonotic Prion Diseases (P01): ‘Science Core’

The Telling lab operates the Science Core for this multicenter, multi-investigator Program. It provides experimental models, expertise, standardized and consistent methodologies, and high quality reagents to allow investigators to study the molecular mechanisms of prion replication, the factors controlling the species barrier and the role of the environment on CWD transmission.

research project

NIH R01 grant: Characterizing the strain and host range properties of prions causing emergent forms of chronic wasting disease

In this R01 project, the Telling lab is characterizing the transmission and conformational properties of CWD prions that have emerged in recent years in Norway and South Korea. A major goal is to compare the host-range properties and zoonotic potential of newly emergent CWD prion strains.

research project

NIH R01 grant: Mechanisms of prion strain dynamics

In this R01 project, the Telling lab employs cell culture and transgenic models of prion diseases to assess the mechanism of prion strain variation and selection.

research project

NIH R01 grant: Addressing the mechanisms of prion strain evolution and its effect on interspecies transmission

Our broad, long-term objectives are to assess and manage the risk posed to humans from continually evolving prions, specifically those causing chronic wasting disease (CWD), an uncontrollable contagious epidemic of cervids of uncertain zoonotic potential. Understanding the properties of emergent CWD strains, their origins, how they adapt and evolve, and their zoonotic threats are important goals.

Publications

Leveraging the dominant-negative effect of the kuru-protective G127V prion protein variant as a novel therapeutic strategy.
Gatdula JRP, Mirza-Romero NA, Orbe IC, Saunders LM, Tolton SG, Vultaggio JS, Mercer RCC, Bartz JC, Telling GC, Eraña H, Castilla J, Harris DA. Neurobiol Dis. 2026 Jun 29;227:107506. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2026.107506. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42372977.

A model-based prion vaccine protects a transgenic mouse line carrying a Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease mutation.
Fang A, Tang X, Fleming M, Tancowny B, Wang X, Wang Y, Daude N, Dorosh L, Fleck SC, Rathod V, Coustou V, Cervantes SA, Velásquez CD, Westaway D, Aiken J, McKenzie D, Telling G, Stepanova M, Saupe SJ, Siemer AB, Wille H. Acta Neuropathol. 2026 Apr 17;151(1):41. doi: 10.1007/s00401-026-03015-4. PMID: 41995880. Free PMC article.

Leveraging the dominant-negative effect of the kuru-protective G127V prion protein variant as a novel therapeutic strategy.
Gatdula JRP, Orbe IC, Tolton SG, Saunders LM, Vultaggio JS, Mercer RCC, Bartz JC, Telling GC, Eraña H, Castilla J, Harris DA.  bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2026 Feb 18:2026.02.17.703887. doi: 10.64898/2026.02.17.703887. PMID: 41757113; PMCID: PMC12934677.

Enhanced lysosomal activity prevents infection with PrPSc and the seeding activity of α-synuclein & tau prions.
Mercer RCC, Le NTT, Mirza-Romero NA, Orbe IC, Flaherty E, DeFranco JP, Lavigna G, Gatdula JRP, Fraser DG, Sundaravadivelu A, Vultaggio JS, Beeler AB, Chiesa R, Telling GC, Harris DA.  J Biol Chem. 2025 Dec 13;302(2):111050. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.111050. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41391758.

Regulated coexpression of PrP from different species in mice impacts the replication and host range properties of prion strains.
DeFranco JP, Bian J, Kim S, Atkinson ZN, Crowell J, Kang HE, Bodrogi HO, Christiansen JR, Díaz-Domínguez CM, Telling GC.  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 Dec 2;122(48):e2515284122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2515284122. Epub 2025 Nov 26. PMID: 41296716; PMCID: PMC12685123.

more publications

People

Glenn Telling Headshot
Glenn Telling, Ph.D.

Lab Principal Investigator [PI]
Director, CSU Prion Research Center
Professor

Alyssa Block
Alyssa Block, Ph.D.

Research Scientist I

Joe DeFranco
Joe DeFranco, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Icon of a person on a green background.
Sehun Kim

Research Associate IV

Jenna Crowell
Jenna Crowell

Research Associate III
Lab Manager

Xutong Shi
Xutong Shi, M.S.

Graduate Research Assistant

Hannah Bodrogi Headshot
Hannah Bodrogi

Research Associate I

Icon of a person on a green background.
Sophia Serwold

Student Researcher

Allison Kyutoku

Volunteer Student Researcher
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology major with a Health & Medical Sciences concentration

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Braelynn Maze

Volunteer Student Researcher

Icon of a person on a green background.
Lacey Russell

Volunteer Student Researcher

Telling lab, Spring 2026

news and updates view all

November 20, 2025 Graduate students awarded $24K in awards at 10th annual GradShow

Diana Lowe of the Telling lab won 1st place under the Top Scholars for University-Wide Graduate Programs division.
July 11, 2025 Postdoctoral researcher awarded grant to improve prion disease mouse model

Alyssa Block received a one-year research grant from the CJD Foundation to investigate selective adaptation of human prions during intracranial and peripheral transmission using a refined gene-targeted mouse model.
May 8, 2025 And the winners are … CURC 2025 showcases student brilliance

Mary Hall, mentored by Joseph DeFranco, wins CVMBS College Honors for her research at CURC 2025.