Pew Biomedical Scholars

From left, Xiang Ye, PhD, Suba Rajendren, PhD, Antiana Richardson, and John Karijolich, PhD, are studying how the cancer-causing virus KSHV commandeers host gene expression and regulatory machinery.

Study details RNA editing in virus-infected cancer cells

Vanderbilt researchers detail the landscape of RNA editing — a form of RNA modification — in primary effusion lymphoma cells during Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection and identify an edited viral microRNA that is critical for infection.

The team studying the regulation of innate immune response includes (front row, from left) Yang Zhao, Antiana Richardson, (back row, from left) John Karijolich, PhD, Xiang Ye and William Dunker.

Study finds that regulatory protein prevents signaling that triggers cell death

A protein implicated in neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis prevents the activation of an innate immune response that leads to cell death, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered.

Cellular antiviral defenses

A cellular RNA quality control mechanism was known to restrict replication of RNA viruses. Vanderbilt researchers have discovered it is also antiviral against DNA viruses.

RNA processing and antiviral immunity

John Karijolich and colleagues have discovered a link between cellular RNA processing and the innate cellular immune response to viral pathogens.

Karijolich named 2018 Pew Biomedical Scholar

John Karijolich, PhD, assistant professor of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has been named a Pew Biomedical Scholar by The Pew Charitable Trusts.