Division of BioMedical Sciences
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Health Sciences Centre
Room: 1815  Lab:  1809
Phone: 709-777-8974
Fax: 709-777-7010

rodney.russell@med.mun.ca

DAPI CD81
DAPI HCV
DAPI CD81 HCV

Research Interests:

Molecular Virology
Drug Targets and Discovery
Viral Immunology
 

Research Program:

Molecular Biology of Hepatitis C Virus
 

Establishment of HCV Cell Culture Systems
    Replicons
    HCV Pseudotyped Viruses (HCVpp)
    Cell Culture-Derived HCV (HCVcc)
    Single-cycle Virus Production Assay

Characterization of HCV Adaptive Mutations
Virus Assembly
Virus Entry and Inhibition of Entry
HCV Drug Resistance 
Immunology of HCV


Current Personnel:  

Ali Atoom (PhD Student; Funded by CIHR/RPP)
Megan Conway (Research Assistant II)
Kayla Harris (MSc Student; Funded by CIHR and NCRTP, 
     Co-Supervised by Dr. Michael Grant)
Dr. Dan Jones (Postdoctoral Fellow; Funded by CIHR and NCRTP)
Hassan Kofahi (PhD Student; Co-Supervised with Dr. Michael Grant)
Heidi Morris (MSc Student; Funded by CIHR and Dean’s Award)   


Lab Photos:
 

Dr. Rodney Russell and Nicole Whittle	Nicole Whittle and Natasha Noel
Natasha Noel	Dr. Rodney Russell and Natasha Noel
Nicole Whittle and Heather Hollett	Nicole Whittle and Natasha Noel
L-R:  Heather Hollett, Natasha Noel, Rod Russell, Nicole Whittle, and Ben Shieh	Ali Atoom
L-R: Ali Atoom (PhD student), Rod Russell (Supervisor), Dan Jones (Postdoc), and Nicole Whittle (Research Assistant)	L-R:  Nicole Whittle (RAII), Dr. Dan Jones (Postdoc), Heidi Morris (MSc Student), Dr. Rod Russell, Kayla Harris (MSc Student), Alit Atoom (PhD Student)
L-R:  Ali Atoom (PhD Student), Heidi Morris (MSc Student), Dr. Dan Jones (Postdoc), Dr. Rod Russell, Kayla Harris (MSc Student), Nicole Whittle (RAII)

Summary of Research Program:

The primary focus of my research will be the molecular virology and immunology of hepatitis C virus (HCV). This virus causes acute and chronic liver disease in humans, and has infected 180 million people worldwide. To date there is no effective vaccine available to prevent HCV infection and, as yet, no antiviral agents specifically targeting this virus have been approved for clinical use. The goal of my research will be to use in vitro cell culture systems to understand the functions of the viral proteins in the various stages of the virus life cycle. It is my hope that in understanding these proteins and their functions better, we can identify novel targets for anti-HCV therapy.

Academic Qualifications:

Postdoctoral Fellow, Hepatitis Viruses Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, NIAID/NIH under the supervision of Drs. Robert H. Purcell and Suzanne U. Emerson. Project title: Characterization of Hepatitis C Virus Assembly Determinants. (Sept/04-Dec/07)

Doctor of Philosophy, Microbiology & Immunology, McGill University, under the supervision of Drs. Mark A. Wainberg and Chen Liang. Project title: Identification and Characterization of Novel RNA and Protein Sequences Involved in Dimerization and Packaging of HIV-1 Genomic RNA. (2000-2004)

Master of Science, Immunology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, under the supervision of Dr. Michael D. Grant. Project title: The Influence of HIV-1 Proviral Burden on Disease Progression and Response to Therapy. (1997-2000)

Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry (Major), Chemistry (Minor), Memorial University of Newfoundland. (1990-1995)

Selected Publications:

Kohli A, Zhang X, Yang J, Russell RS, Donnelly R, Young H, Imamichi T, Lempicki RA, Masur H, Kottilil S. 2012. Distinct and overlapping genomic profiles and antiviral effects of Interferon-λ and -α on HCV-infected and non-infected hepatoma cells. In press at J Viral Hepat.

Powdrill MH, Tchesnokov EP, Kozak RA, Russell RS, Martin R, Svarovskaia ES, Mo H, Kouyos RD, Götte M. 2011. Contribution of mutational bias in hepatitis C virus replication to the genetic barrier in the development of drug resistance. PNAS. 108(51):20509-13. Epub 2011 Dec 1.

Jones DM, Atoom AM, Zhang X, Kottilil S, Russell RS. 2011. A genetic interaction between the core and NS3 proteins of hepatitis C virus is essential for production of infection virus. J Virol. 85(23):12351-61. Epub 2011 Sep 28.

Meunier JC, Gottwein JM, Houghton M, Russell RS, Emerson SU, Purcell RH. 2011. Vaccine-induced cross-genotype reactive neutralizing antibodies against hepatitis C virus. J Infect Dis. 15;204(8):1186-90.

Russell RS*^†, Kawaguchi K*, Meunier JC, Takikawa S, Faulk K, Bukh J, Purcell RH, Emerson SU. 2009. Mutational analysis of the hepatitis C virus E1 glycoprotein in retroviral pseudoparticles and cell culture-derived H77/JFH1 chimeric infectious virus particles. J Viral Hepat. 16(9):621-32 (*equal contribution; ^†corresponding author).

Liang H, Russell RS, Yonkers NL, McDonald D, Rodriguez B, Harding CV, Anthony DD. 2009. Differential effect of JFH1 HCV on human MDC and PDC function. J Virol. 83(11):5693-707.

Meunier JC, Russell RS, Engle RH, Faulk KN, Purcell RH, Emerson SU. 2008. Apolipoprotein C1 association with Hepatitis C Virus. J Virol. 82(19):9647-56.

Russell RS, Meunier JC, Takikawa S, Faulk K, Engle RE, Bukh J, Purcell RH, Emerson SU. 2008. Advantages of a single-cycle production assay to study cell culture-adaptive mutations of hepatitis C virus. PNAS. 105(11):4370-5.

Meunier JC, Russell RS, Goossens V, Priem S, Walter H, Depla E, Union A, Faulk KN, Bukh J, Emerson SU, Purcell RH. 2008. Isolation and characterization of broadly neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies to the e1 glycoprotein of hepatitis C virus. J Virol. 82(2):966-73.

Engle RE, Russell RS, Purcell RH, Bukh J. 2008. Development of a TaqMan assay for the six major genotypes of hepatitis C virus: comparison with commercial assays. J Med Virol. 80(1):72-9.

Recent Conference Abstracts:

Jones DM, Atoom AM, Russell RS. 2011. A highly specific genetic interaction between core and NS3 is essential for the production of infectious hepatitis C virus. 18th International Symposium on Hepatitis C Virus and Related Viruses. Seattle, Washington, USA. (Oral; Conference Travel Award given to DMJ)

Harris K, Grant MD, Russell RS. 2011. Analysis of natural killer cell modulation in a hepatitis C virus cell culture system. 18th International Symposium on Hepatitis C Virus and Related Viruses. Seattle, Washington, USA. (Poster)

Morris HG, Atoom AM, Gotte M, Russell RS. 2011. Cell culture analysis of HCV drug resistance mutations on viral fitness. 18th International Symposium on Hepatitis C Virus and Related Viruses. Seattle, Washington, USA. (Poster)

Atoom AM, Jones DM, Russell RS. 2011. Evidence for a role of p7 protein after hepatitis C virus nucleocapsid formation. 18th International Symposium on Hepatitis C Virus and Related Viruses. Seattle, Washington, USA. (Poster)