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Virology research group

HOW TO CONTACT US

Ugo Moens, professor
ugom@fagmed.uit.no
Phone: (+47) 776 44622
Fax: (+47) 776 45350

Tove Eriksen Heen, administrative officer
Tove.E.Heen@fagmed.uit.no
Phone: (+47) 776 44643
Fax: (+47) 776 45350

The Department of Microbiology and Virology belongs to the Institute of Medical Biology. (IMB), which is part of the Faculty of Medicine. Within the Department of Microbiology and Virology, professor Dr. Ugo Moens heads the virology research group. Research in this group focuses on cellular signalling and gene regulation in mammalian cell systems. Central in our research is the transcription factor CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein) and the mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathways. We examine how different signalling pathways affect CREB-mediated transcription. In addition we explore the biological role of the mitogen-activated protein kinase MK5/PRAK. Furthermore, studies are aimed at identifying naturally occurring BK virus strains in the human population in order to increase our knowledge on the possible implications of genome diversity with respect to cell tropism and pathogenicity.

Our group consist for the moment of two scientific staff members, five PhD students, two technicians, and three master students. The virology research group forms part of the PhD school in Molecular and Structural Biology.

The virology research group has also strong contacts with the virology research group (professor Tore Gutteberg) at the University Hospital in Tromsø.

Our current research projects

Antiviral research ^*

Studies on the function of the mitogen-activated protein kinase MK5/PRAK ^*

Studies on the polymorphism in the genome of polyomavirus BK: implications for cell tropism and the ^*

Transcriptional activation of the cAMP response element-binding protein CREB ^*

^* Not translated, showing original language

Characterization of BKV agnoprotein and analysis of its function and regulation

Project leader: Mona Johannessen

Co-workers: members of the virology research group

Main objects:
We want to identify the function(s) and regulation of the viral protein, agnoprotein.

Project outline:
Polyomaviruses are viruses that originally were identified as tumour-inducing viruses when inoculated in animal models and that could transform cells. Several members of the polyomavirus family exist, including the human BK and JC viruses. Primate polyomaviruses are small DNA viruses, encoding only a few proteins. The major early proteins are the regulatory proteins large T-ag and small t-ag, while the late proteins include the capsid proteins VP1, VP2, VP3 as well as a regulatory protein named agnoprotein. The agnoprotein is approximately 70 amino acids long and is conserved, especially in the N-terminal part of the protein. Agnoprotein is a phosphoprotein, and others and we have identified phospho-acceptor sites for cellular protein kinases. Our goal is to study the functions of the agnoprotein and to determine the biological role of these phosphorylation events. We also want to identify interaction partners of agnoprotein, and investigate the functional relevance of these interactions.

Members of the Virology research group

^*	^*	^*
Research fellow ^*	Nancy Gerits ^*	nancyg@fagmed.uit.no ^*
Research fellow ^*	Malachy Ifeanyi Okeke ^*	malachy.okeke@fagmed.uit.no ^*
Associate professor ^*	Mona Johannessen ^*	monaj@fagmed.uit.no ^*
Research fellow ^*	Theresa Mikalsen ^*	theresa@fagmed.uit.no ^*
Professor ^*	Ugo Moens ^*	ugom@fagmed.uit.no ^*
Research fellow ^*	Marit Renèe Myhre ^*	maritrm@fagmed.uit.no ^*
Research fellow ^*	Gunn-Hege Olsen ^*	gunnhege@fagmed.uit.no ^*
Research fellow ^*	Marit Pedersen Delghandi ^*	^*
Professor II ^*	Terje Traavik ^*	^*
Researcher ^*	Marijke Van Ghelue ^*	marijke.van.ghelue@unn.no ^*

^* Not translated, showing original language

Research fellow Kostenko, Sergiy
Funding

Our research is funded by the Norwegain Cancer Society (Kreftforeningen), the Norwegain Research Council (Norges forskningsråd), the Olav and Erna Aakre foundation, and contributions of the family Blix´s Fond.