Prof. Dr. Abel Viejo-Borbolla participates in RESIST research projects A3 and A4.
| My Research Interest in RESIST |
Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is a highly prevalent human pathogen that infects most human beings. During primary infection VZV causes chickenpox and establishes latency in neurons. Reactivation from neurons normally results in shingles. Most people control the infection but some individuals suffer from extreme chronic pain or life-threatening diseases.
Within RESIST we are interested in the identification and characterization of host and viral genetic determinants that are responsible for exacerbated VZV disease. A second focus of our research is the study of epigenetic modifications on the viral and human genomes during establishment of VZV latency. To do so we have established relevant viral and cellular models, including those to study VZV latency in human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. The patient cohorts and collaborations established within RESIST will ensure the achievement of the proposed aims.
Prof. Viejo-Borbolla about his scientific work
Prof. Dr. Abel Viejo-Borbolla – Curriculum Vitae
Current Position
Since 2018 APL Professor in Experimental Virology, Institute of Virology, MHH
Undergraduate and Postgraduate Training
1992 – 1997 BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences, specialized in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; University of Leeds U.K. T
1997 Diploma in Biological Sciences, specialized in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
1997 – 2001 Undergraduate training, University of Liverpool, GlaxoSmithKline U.K., Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School
2002 PhD Title. The University of Liverpool, UK (Supervisors Prof. Dr. med. Thomas F. Schulz and Dr. Edward D. Blair)
Academic and Research Posts
2002 – 2004 Postdoctoral fellow, Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover
2004 – 2007 Postdoctoral fellow, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
2008 – 2009 Visiting postdoctoral fellow, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, U.S.A.
2011 – 2012 Lecturer in Human Anatomy & Physiology, European University of Madrid, Spain
2012 – 2013 Lecturer in Virology, European University of Madrid, Spain
2009 – 2013 Postdoctoral fellow, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
2013 – 2018 W1 Professor in Experimental Virology, Institute of Virology, MHH
Since 2018 APL Professor in Experimental Virology, Institute of Virology, MHH
Other Scientific Roles
2006 – 2007 Managing Editor, Frontiers in Biosciences
Since 2007 Member of the Spanish Society for Virology
Since 2010 Organizer of the “II Intergroup Meeting: Herpesviruses and Gene Therapy”
Since 2013 Member of the Collaborative Research Centre “Chronic infections: microbial persistence and its control”
2013 – 2018 Member of the Niedersachsen-Research Network on Neuroinfectiology
Since 2014 Member of the European Society for Virology
Since 2014 Member of the German Society for Virology
2016 – 2017 Lead Guest Editor in the Journal of Immunology Research
Awards and Prizes
1996 – 1997 Erasmus Fellow, University of Leeds, U.K.
1998 Safety award at GlaxoSmithKline, UK
1999 First prize in the ‘Business game’ (organized by MRC and BBSRC)
2006 – 2010 “Sara Borrel” Fellow, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC, Madrid, Spain and Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, U.S.A.
2010 – 2013 “JAE” Fellow, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
2014 – 2018 Marie Curie Career Integration Grant
2017 Marie Skłodowska-Curie “Fellow of the month”
10 Selected Publications (of > 31 original publications)
Herpes Simplex Virus 2 Counteracts Neurite Outgrowth Repulsion during Infection in a Nerve Growth Factor-Dependent Manner. Kropp KA, López-Muñoz AD, Ritter B, Martín R, Rastrojo A, Srivaratharajan S, Döhner K, Dhingra A, Czechowicz JS, Nagel CH, Sodeik B, Alcami A, Viejo-Borbolla A. J Virol. 2020 Sep 29;94(20):e01370-20. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01370-20. PMID: 32669337; PMCID: PMC7527038.
Baird NL, Zhu S, Pearce CM, Viejo-Borbolla A. Current in vitro models to study varicella zoster virus latency and reactivation. Viruses. 2019; 26: 11.
González-Motos V, Jürgens C, Ritter B, Kropp KA, Durán V, Larsen O, Binz A, Ouwendijk WJD, Rovis TL, Jonjic S, Verjans GMGM, Sodeik B, Krey T, Bauerfeind R, Schulz TF, Kaufer BB, Kalinke U, Proudfoot AEI, Rosenkilde MM, Viejo-Borbolla A. Varicella zoster virus glycoprotein C increases chemokine-mediated leukocyte migration. PLoS Pathog. 2017; 13(5): e1006346.
Martinez-Martin N, Viejo-Borbolla A, Martín R, Blanco S, Benovic JL, Thelen M, Alcamí A. Herpes simplex virus enhances chemokine function through modulation of receptor trafficking and oligomerization. Nat Commun. 2015; 6: 6163.
Cabrera JR*, Viejo-Borbolla A*, Martinez-Martin N, Blanco S, Wandosell F, Alcami A. Secreted herpes simplex virus-2 glycoprotein G modifies NGF-TrkA signaling to attract free nerve endings to the site of infection. PLoS Pathog. 2015; 11(1): e1004571. *Both authors contributed equally.
Viejo-Borbolla A, Martinez-Martín N, Nel HJ, Rueda P, Martín R, Blanco S, Arenzana-Seisdedos F, Thelen M, Fallon PG, Alcamí A. Enhancement of chemokine function as an immunomodulatory strategy employed by human herpesviruses. PLoS Pathog. 2012; 8(2): e1002497.
Viejo-Borbolla A, Martin AP, Muniz LR, Shang L, Marchesi F, Thirunarayanan N, Harpaz N, Garcia RA, Apostolaki M, Furtado GC, Mayer L, Kollias G, Alcami A, Lira SA. Attenuation of TNF-driven murine ileitis by intestinal expression of the viral immunomodulator CrmD. Mucosal Immunol. 2010; 3(6): 633-644.
Viejo-Borbolla A, Munoz A, Tabares E, Alcami A. Glycoprotein G from pseudorabies virus binds to chemokines with high affinity and inhibits their function. J Gen Virol. 2010; 91(Pt 1): 23-31.
Shang L, Thirunarayanan N, Viejo-Borbolla A, Martin AP, Bogunovic M, Marchesi F, Unkeless JC, Ho Y, Furtado GC, Alcami A, Merad M, Mayer L, Lira SA. Expression of the chemokine binding protein M3 promotes marked changes in the accumulation of specific leukocytes subsets within the intestine. Gastroenterology. 2009; 137(3): 1006-1018.
Viejo-Borbolla A, Ottinger M, Brüning E, Bürger A, König R, Kati E, Sheldon JA, Schulz TF. Brd2/RING3 interacts with a chromatin-binding domain in the Kaposi’s Sarcoma-associated herpesvirus latency-associated nuclear antigen 1 (LANA-1) that is required for multiple functions of LANA-1. J Virol. 2005; 79(21): 13618-29.
