Translational Research - Université de Genève
Translational Research - Université de Genève
Translational Research - Université de Genève
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Virology<br />
Caroline Tapparel Vu<br />
Department of Internal Medicine Specialties<br />
Caroline Tapparel Vu obtained her PhD in Molecular Virology in 1998 at the Faculty of Medicine<br />
in Geneva. After postdoctoral training in human genetics and bacteriology, she set up basic<br />
research on rhinoviruses and enteroviruses in the Department of Internal Medicine in 2005.<br />
Insights into rhino/enterovirus diversity and evolution<br />
Rhinoviruses and enteroviruses are small non-enveloped positive strand RNA viruses within<br />
the Enterovirus genus of the Picornaviridae family. Human rhinoviruses (HRV) are frequently<br />
associated with upper respiratory tract diseases and exacerbations of pre-existing disor<strong>de</strong>rs<br />
such as asthma. Human enteroviruses (HEV) contain important neurotropic pathogens such<br />
as Poliovirus or Enterovirus 71 (EV71). HRV and HEV are characterised by high genetic variability<br />
which complicates the <strong>de</strong>velopment of antivirals or vaccines. Our research group aims to<br />
improve the un<strong>de</strong>rstanding of the large phenotypic diversity observed among these closely<br />
related viruses. Thanks to reverse genetic assays the group investigates the correlation between<br />
genomic features and specific viral phenotypes.<br />
In addition, two of the major mechanisms of picornavirus evolution, recombination and<br />
mutations, are studied in vitro and during natural human infections, with the help of nextgeneration<br />
sequencing approaches. Furthermore, we continue to <strong>de</strong>velop novel generic<br />
molecular tools to <strong>de</strong>tect and quantify divergent viral strains with greater sensitivity.<br />
40 <strong>Université</strong> <strong>de</strong> <strong>Genève</strong> • Faculté <strong>de</strong> mé<strong>de</strong>cine<br />
Cor<strong>de</strong>y S, Petty TJ, Schibler M, Martinez Y, Gerlach D, Van Belle S, Turin L, Zdobnov E, Kaiser L,<br />
Tapparel C (2012) I<strong>de</strong>ntification of site-specific adaptations conferring increased neural cell<br />
tropism during human enterovirus 71 infection. PloS Pathogens Epub ahead of print<br />
Schibler M, Yerly S, Vieille G, Docquier M, Turin L, Kaiser L, Tapparel C (2012) A Critical Analysis<br />
of Rhinovirus RNA Load Quantification by Real-TIme RT-PCR. J Clin Microbiol Epub ahead<br />
of print .<br />
Schibler M, Gerlach D, Martinez Y, Van Belle S, Turin L, Kaiser L, Tapparel C (2011) Experimental<br />
Human Rhinovirus and Enterovirus Interspecies Recombination. J Gen Virol 93: 93-101.<br />
Tapparel C, Cor<strong>de</strong>y S, Junier T, Farinelli L, Van Belle S, Soccal PM, Aubert JD, Zdobnov E, Kaiser L<br />
(2011) Rhinovirus Genome Variation during Chronic Upper and Lower Respiratory Tract<br />
Infections. PLoS One 6:e21163.<br />
Cor<strong>de</strong>y S, Junier T, Gerlach D, Gobbini F, Farinelli L, Zdobnov E, Winther B, Tapparel C, Kaiser L<br />
(2010) Rhinovirus genome evolution during experimental human infection PLoS One<br />
5:e10588.<br />
Tapparel C, Cor<strong>de</strong>y S, Van Belle S, Turin L, Lee WM, Regamey N, Meylan P, Mühlemann K, Gobbini<br />
F, Kaiser L (2009) New molecular <strong>de</strong>tection tools adapted to emerging rhinoviruses and<br />
enteroviruses. J Clin Microbiol 47:1742-9<br />
Tapparel C, Junier T, Gerlach D, Van Belle S, Turin L, Cor<strong>de</strong>y S, Mühlemann K, Regamey N, Aubert<br />
JD, Soccal PM, Eigenmann P, Zdobnov E, Kaiser L (2009) New respiratory enterovirus and<br />
recombinant rhinoviruses among circulating picornaviruses. Emerg Infect Dis 15:719-26.<br />
Contact: Caroline.Tapparel@hcuge.ch<br />
Virology<br />
<strong>Université</strong> <strong>de</strong> <strong>Genève</strong> • Faculté <strong>de</strong> mé<strong>de</strong>cine<br />
41