{"id":516,"date":"2025-05-02T11:26:24","date_gmt":"2025-05-02T15:26:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/?page_id=516"},"modified":"2025-05-02T13:56:47","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T17:56:47","slug":"research","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/research\/","title":{"rendered":"Research"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kb-row-layout-id516_b02378-00 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:start;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id516_b02378-00 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:start;}.kb-row-layout-id516_b02378-00 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);grid-template-columns:minmax(0, calc(45% - ((var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem) * 1 )\/2)))minmax(0, calc(55% - ((var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem) * 1 )\/2)));}.kb-row-layout-id516_b02378-00 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id516_b02378-00 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-row-layout-id516_b02378-00 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id516_b02378-00 alignnone wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-2-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top\">\n<style>.kadence-column516_fa8c6e-f8 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column516_fa8c6e-f8 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column516_fa8c6e-f8 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column516_fa8c6e-f8 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column516_fa8c6e-f8 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column516_fa8c6e-f8 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column516_fa8c6e-f8{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column516_fa8c6e-f8 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column516_fa8c6e-f8 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column516_fa8c6e-f8\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-cab49e4c8c3787317c6f50a33ddd428a\" style=\"color:#1b456f\">Research: Uncovering Viral Mechanisms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Research in the Maginnis laboratory is focused on understanding the cellular and molecular basis of viral disease. Specifically, our work seeks to define the viral and host cell factors that regulate infection and viral pathogenesis of the human JC polyomavirus (JCPyV). The majority of the population is infected with JCPyV, which establishes a lifelong, persistent infection in the kidney without symptoms. In immunocompromised hosts, such as individuals receiving immunomodulatory therapies for autoimmune diseases or those with HIV, the virus can spread from the kidney to the central nervous system and cause a lytic infection in the brain. Viral destruction of the glial cells astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, which are critical for myelin production, results in the fatal, demyelinating disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). There is currently no effective treatment for PML.<strong><em>&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Viruses are complex, yet extremely efficient machines that hijack the host cell machinery to complete an infectious cycle and produce progeny virus. The interplay between JCPyV and host cell factors is critical to understanding disease outcomes and PML pathogenesis. Research in my laboratory is focused on understanding the detailed molecular interactions between the virus and host cell factors that drive the early steps in the infectious cycle including entry, trafficking, and viral transcription. In particular, we are focused on defining how JCPyV uses the serotonin receptor to transverse the plasma membrane, identifying signaling cascades that drive viral transcription, and elucidating how the virus causes persistent and lytic infections. This research will allow us to define key unanswered questions in JCPyV biology, provide crucial insights into JCPyV pathogenesis, and identify novel targets for rational drug design for prevention and treatment of PML.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column516_bc931c-a9 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column516_bc931c-a9 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column516_bc931c-a9 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column516_bc931c-a9 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column516_bc931c-a9 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column516_bc931c-a9 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column516_bc931c-a9{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column516_bc931c-a9 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column516_bc931c-a9 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column516_bc931c-a9\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/389\/2025\/04\/IMG_5372WEB-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-517\" srcset=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/389\/2025\/04\/IMG_5372WEB-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/389\/2025\/04\/IMG_5372WEB-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/389\/2025\/04\/IMG_5372WEB-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/389\/2025\/04\/IMG_5372WEB-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/389\/2025\/04\/IMG_5372WEB-105x140.jpg 105w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/389\/2025\/04\/IMG_5372WEB-317x423.jpg 317w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/389\/2025\/04\/IMG_5372WEB-423x564.jpg 423w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/389\/2025\/04\/IMG_5372WEB-634x845.jpg 634w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/389\/2025\/04\/IMG_5372WEB-846x1128.jpg 846w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/389\/2025\/04\/IMG_5372WEB-951x1268.jpg 951w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/389\/2025\/04\/IMG_5372WEB-1268x1691.jpg 1268w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/389\/2025\/04\/IMG_5372WEB-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ph.D. candidate Sophie Craig prepares a sample at the bench<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Research: Uncovering Viral Mechanisms Research in the Maginnis laboratory is focused on understanding the cellular and molecular basis of viral disease. Specifically, our work seeks to define the viral and host cell factors that regulate infection and viral pathogenesis of the human JC polyomavirus (JCPyV). The majority of the population is infected with JCPyV, which [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2572,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-516","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Research - Maginnis Lab - University of Maine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Research in the Maginnis laboratory is focused on understanding the cellular and molecular basis of viral disease. Specifically, our work seeks to define the viral and host cell factors that regulate infection and viral pathogenesis of the human JC polyomavirus (JCPyV). The majority of the population is infected with JCPyV, which establishes a lifelong, persistent infection in the kidney without symptoms. In immunocompromised hosts, such as individuals receiving immunomodulatory therapies for autoimmune diseases or those with HIV, the virus can spread from the kidney to the central nervous system and cause a lytic infection in the brain.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/maginnislab\/research\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Research - Maginnis Lab - University of Maine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Research in the Maginnis laboratory is focused on understanding the cellular and molecular basis of viral disease. Specifically, our work seeks to define the viral and host cell factors that regulate infection and viral pathogenesis of the human JC polyomavirus (JCPyV). The majority of the population is infected with JCPyV, which establishes a lifelong, persistent infection in the kidney without symptoms. 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