1) First off, we had to push back our first large rabbit experiment (to test the ability of the anti-HSV-1 UL20 ribozyme to block recurrence) due to delays in getting a control ribozyme synthesized.  At our group meeting last month where we finalized the design of the experiment we decided to develop a better negative control for comparing the effectiveness of the UL20 ribozyme is a ribozyme.  Our previous design used a fluorescently-labeled oligo (small RNA), however we feel that using a specially designed "inactive" ribozyme would be a more convincing negative control.  We believe that the data from this rabbit study is so essential to going to the FDA as well as obtaining future grant support that it was worth pushing back the start date for a better control.  Our new planned start date for this experiment will be January 5 with initial results expected by Feb 1.  We are very excited about this study and I should mention that these studies are
  largely funded by the donations we received from supporters to our HSV-1 Research Fund.


2) With funds from the Pepsi Refresh Award, we have started the construction of our next generation delivery system for the ribozymes.  This approach uses a viral vector to deliver the ribozymes into neurons and has the potential to be more therapeutic and block recurrences . The plasmid constructs for these vectors (both ribozyme-expressing and controls) have been completed and we are currently packaging these into viral capsids.  These vectors will be evaluated for their ability to block HSV-1 infection in neuronal cells in vitro early in January.


3) With funds from donations to the HSV-2 Research Fund we have started the design, synthesis and testing of HSV-2 ribozymes. I should mention that John Davis, MD, Chief of UF's Gynecology Division, has been very supportive of this effort and has been instrumental in helping us obtain research time for a resident who is working in my lab helping to perform the initial analyses.


Finally, as you know, Bryan Cullen and I have initiated a collaboration to evaluate the role(s) of the HSV-1 encoded microRNAs (miRNAs) on HSV-1 lytic and latent infections. My lab is in the process of constructing HSV-1 recombinants with all 8 HSV miRNAs deleted (with funds from an NIH ARRA Core grant that was funded for one year for this purpose).  Dr. Cullen and I will be submitting an NIH grant proposal in February for funding the analyses of the recombinant viruses. This grant will allow us to determine if these miRNAs regulate HSV reactivation. If we find they do, this could provide new targets for therapy.   The collaboration between our two labs is exciting because it marries Dr. Cullen's expertise in analyzing miRNAs and identifying their targets and my lab's expertise in  the molecular genetics of HSV and animal models to study latency and reactivation

We would like to thank LivingLife77 for submitting this update.