The Chang-Moore lab studies tumor viruses with projects directed at understanding how they transform the infected host cell. We are particularly keen on using these viruses as models for understanding basic cellular processes. Ongoing work:
• Real time C-Trap fluorescent single-molecule visualization of DNA-protein interactions between the Merkel Cell Polyomavirus (MCV) replication proteins and the viral replication origin DNA—to gain insights into how cellular DNA replication is licensed.
• MCV T antigen-mediated receptor tyrosine kinase signaling—intracellular modulation of pro-proliferative pathways.
• Viral strategies to escape innate immune defenses Techniques range from recombinant DNA manipulation; RNA isolation/transcriptomic analysis; protein isolation; western blotting, chromatin immunoprecipitation; confocal fluorescence microscopy; cell culture; C-trap; and transfection/transduction/transformation.