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Nell S. Lurain, PhD

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Nell S. Lurain, PhD

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Professor Emeritus, Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity

RUSH Medical College

Professor Emeritus, Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity

Contact Information

Address: 1750 W. Harrison St., suite 859
Chicago, IL 60612
Phone:
(312) 942-8734
Fax:
(312) 942-6787
Email:
nlurain@rush.edu

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Research Profile

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PhD, Loyola University of Chicago
BA, Oberlin College
Nell S. Lurain, PhD, has studied human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) for more than 30 years. Her early studies focused on the molecular basis of HCMV antiviral drug resistance using HCMV clinical strains, and her laboratory has continued to test clinical HCMV isolates for resistance to the three antiviral drugs approved for patient therapy: ganciclovir, foscarnet and cidofovir. The resistance has been determined both phenotypically by plaque reduction assay and genotypically by sequencing of the HCMV UL97 and DNA polymerase (UL54) genes. Subsequent analysis of other regions of the HCMV genome in clinical isolates led to her lab's discovery of significant sequence variability within three viral genes encoding potential immunomodulatory products: UL144, UL146, and UL147. As a result, her team has propagated many clinical strains that have been phenotypically and genotypically characterized based on these variant loci. These characterized HCMV clinical strains along with genotypically and phenotypically-characterized drug-resistant strains will be available to test whether monoclonal antibodies can inhibit proliferation and propagation of HCMV and whether there are strain-specific differences in susceptibility, which are associated with genotypic differences.

Aside from molecular studies of HCMV, Lurain designs and coordinates projects that require acquisition and handling of clinical specimens. She has served on a number of national working groups of the Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group, which have targeted specific AIDS-related opportunistic viral infections including HCMV. Through this work, she has participated in several collaborative studies involving laboratories at multiple academic medical centers.
HHSN272201200023C, Bremer PI, 9/21/12-9/20/19
NIH/NIAID
Virology Quality Assurance Program
The major goal of the research portion of this project is to participate in and facilitate the development of diagnostic assays for HIV/AIDS-associated opportunistic viral co-pathogens in support of clinical trials groups including the Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group. The viruses currently targeted are: herpes simplex types 1 and 2, human cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, Epstein Barr virus human papillomavirus, and human herpesvirus 8. This is the 4th renewal of the Virology Quality Assurance program.
Role: Research Scientist

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