Medical College of Wisconsin
Medical College of Wisconsin Medical College of Wisconsin

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Research Bench Lab

Microbiology & Immunology
Vera Tarakanova, PhD

Vera Tarakanova, PhD

Associate Professor

Locations

  • Microbiology & Immunology
    BSB B2350

Contact Information

General Interests

Virus-associated Tumorigenesis , Virus-host Interactions

Education

PhD, Microbiology, Saint Louis University
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Washington University
Learn more about the Tarakanova Laboratory

Research Experience

  • Ataxia Telangiectasia
  • B-Lymphocytes
  • Cholesterol
  • Gammaherpesvirinae
  • Germinal Center
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-1
  • Interferon Regulatory Factor-3
  • Interferons
  • Liver X Receptors
  • Macrophages
  • Protein Kinases

Research Interests

I have a long-standing interest in virus-host interactions, particularly as it applies to cancer-associated viruses. Our current research focuses on gammaherpesviruses. Gammaherpesviruses infect >95% of all humans and the infection is never cleared. Importantly, gammaherpesviruses drive the development of several malignancies, including lymphomas. While it is clear that not every infected human will develop virus-driven lymphoma, the risk factors for viral lymphomagenesis remain poorly defined and it is next to impossible to predict individual’s risk of developing gammaherpesvirus-driven cancer, a knowledge gap we aim to tackle.

Our research group utilizes the mouse gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV68) model to study the entire spectrum of virus-host interactions: from viral and cellular molecular mechanisms using cultures of primary immune cells to chronic infection of an intact host to viral pathogenesis. Our group’s research interests are broad and interdisciplinary and span several fields, including molecular and cellular biology, signaling networks, animal models of viral infection and disease, innate and adaptive immune responses, and metabolism. Our trainees become highly sought-after interdisciplinary scientists, with the training supported by numerous external and internal collaborations.

Publications

Publications of Vera Tarakanova PhD from the Faculty Collaboration Database