Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Carroll Feist Chair of Viral Oncology, Director of the Center of Excellence for Emerging Viral Threats, PI of the NIH COBRE Center for Applied Immunology and Pathological Processes

Dr. Yurochko’s Lab examines the pathobiology of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection of blood monocytes and CD34+ bone marrow progenitor cells because of the critical role these cells play in viral dissemination, latency, and the ensuing pathogenesis in AIDS patients, solid organ and bone marrow transplant recipients, as well as in congenitally infected infants, where HCMV is the leading infectious cause of birth defects in the U.S. We are addressing from a molecular standpoint, how viral infection of blood monocytes alters their immunological functions and forces these infected cells to serve as Trojan Horses for viral spread from the blood into peripheral tissues and then as a source of long-term viral persistence in these tissues. In CD34+ cells, we are examining the cellular and viral determinants that control the establishment, maintenance, and reactivation of virus from latency using novel in vitro and in vivo models.