2020 Lautenberg Center Progress Report

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22 MSc and PhD students that graduated: PhD David Knigin Ela Nazirov MSc Youssef Mansour (cum Laude)
PREDICTION AND PREVENTION OF CONGENITAL CMV DISEASE: A MULTIFACETED APPROACH Establishment of a new SARS-CoV-2 research lab and high-throughput COVID-19 testing facility Dana Wolf Lay language summary Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the leading cause of congenital infections, affecting ~1% of all newborns worldwide, and leading to hearing loss, brain anomalies, and a wide range of neurodevelopmental disabilities. HCMV is also a major cause of severe disease and death in the growing population of immunocompromised individuals, including cancer patients and transplant recipients. Despite the immense health burden associated with HCMV there is no vaccine available to prevent the infection, and the use of currently-approved antiviral drugs has been limited by toxicity and drug resistance. Our current understanding of the mechanisms modulating HCMV immune protection has remained poor, largely due to the lack of relevant animal models for this human-specific virus – thus hampering vaccine and drug development. As a physician scientist, I employ a multi-faceted translational research approach to facilitate the understanding and prevention of HCMV infection and disease. We have established unique ex vivo models of HCMV infection in native human placental (maternal-fetal transmission site) and nasal mucosa (viral entry site) tissues maintained as integral 3D multicell-type organ cultures. Our studies have uncovered the modes of viral infection and spread between individuals and from the mother to the fetus, and revealed new innate immune response pathways by which the human nasal mucosa and placenta protect the mother and the fetus from the virus. We are currently combining these ex vivo studies with development and analysis of new antibodies and antiviral drug interventions - conducted within the frame of an EU consortium and in collaboration with leading vaccine companies. Finally- on the clinical front- we have developed advanced neonatal screening tools for the early identification of newborns with congenital HCMV infection. In the last year, we have converted into a high-throughput COVID-19 testing facility. We have developed and pioneered a new sample-pooling method, which has improved testing efficiency, pace and throughput. In a recent big-data analysis of our findings, we observed pooling efficiency and sensitivity that have exceeded theoretical predictions and support the use of pooling for large-scale SARS-CoV-2 testing, to enhance continued surveillance, control, and community re-openings. In parallel, we have developed unique ex vivo models of SARS- C0V-2 infection in human respiratory target tissues, to evaluate new therapeutic and preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2. 23
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Page 3 and 4: MOLECULAR BASIS OF CARCINOGENESIS A
Page 5 and 6: 5 19. Oster S, Aqeilan R.I. Mapping
Page 7 and 8: 7 Publications (2016 - 2020): 1. Is
Page 9 and 10: NEW THERAPEUTICS TO COMBAT ACUTE MY
Page 11 and 12: 11 PhD students recently graduated:
Page 13 and 14: 13 3. IL-17+ CD8+ T cell suppressio
Page 15 and 16: A NOVEL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PEPTIDE W
Page 17 and 18: PROFILING PANCREATIC PREINVASIVE LE
Page 19 and 20: HEPATIC INFLAMMATION AND METABOLISM
Page 21: 21 11. Hanin G, Yayon N, Tzur Y, Ha
Page 25 and 26: 25 12. Glasner A, Oiknine-Djian E,
Page 27 and 28: 27 31. Alfi O, From I, Yakirevitch
Page 29 and 30: NATURAL KILLER CELL FUNCTION IN PRE
Page 31 and 32: 31 13. Obiedat A, Charpak-Amikam Y,
Page 33 and 34: 33 33. Glasner A, Levi A, Enk J, Is
Page 35 and 36: 35 Awards: The Rappaport Award for
Page 37 and 38: 37 Publications (2016 - 2020): 1. W
Page 39 and 40: 39 21. Emma Hajaj, Galit Eisenberg,
Page 41 and 42: integrate these data and predict on
Page 43: 43 Funding and Awards: 1. Concern F

2020 Lautenberg Center Progress Report

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