Virus Evolutionary Ecology Research
Dr. Dennehy gave a talk about the future of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
A recording is available on YouTube: At Home with Queens College Presents: What Does SARS-CoV-2 Evolution Mean for the Future of the Pandemic?
Manuscript Published: Reproducibility and sensitivity of 36 methods to quantify the SARS-CoV-2 genetic signal in raw wastewater: findings from an interlaboratory methods evaluation in the U.S.
The Dennehy Lab participated in a nationwide consortial project comparing the best protocols for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. Our pasteurize, filter, PEG concentrate protocol was among the best performing methods for quantifying SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in wastewater. The results are published in Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology.
The Dennehy Lab receives funding from NIH for proposal “Novel Strategies for Treating Biofilm-Forming Pathogens with Phage Therapy”
This project is a collaboration with Dr. Fabrizio Spagnolo. The aim of the proposed work is to assess the viability of a multi-pronged phage therapy approach to eliminate biofilm-associated bacteria. Specifically, we propose to induce prophages already contained within biofilm-associated bacteria to disrupt biofilms. Simultaneously, lytic phages will be applied to kill bacteria dispersing from the biofilm at the point of exit. This dual strategy may allow the eradication of intransigent infections resistant to traditional antibacterial therapy.
The Dennehy Laboratory receives funding from NSF for proposal titled “Metapopulation Modeling to Develop Strategies to Reduce COVID-19 Transmission in Public Spaces”
A recently developed computational model (the Ephemeral Island Metapopulation Model (EIMM) that applies metapopulation theory to explain how pathogens persist in hospital environments will be revised to address the spatial spread of SARS-CoV-2 within built environments. An enveloped bacteriophage phi6 will be used to validate model predictions as well as test control strategies. Recommendations resembling established building and fire codes, which regulate how space is allotted per occupant based upon design and usage requirements, will be generated. These recommendations are published at “COVID Code”.
Dr. Sherin Kannoly’s manuscript is published in iScience
In this manuscript, we show that noise in the timing of a cellular event, host cell lysis, follows a concave up curve. This finding suggests that lysis timing has an optimum value that minimizes noise. As such, lysis timing noise may be a target of natural selection. The manuscript is available here.
We attended the 2018 NYC SEA-PHAGES Symposium at Mount Saint Mary College on Saturday April 14.
Hisham Alrubaye presented ” Mechanisms of RNA Virus Thermotolerance Evolution” and received a First Place Poster Award.
Nanami Kubota presented “Mutations and Selection in Erwinia amylovora Phages Adapting to Host’s Codon Usage Patterns”, and received a Second Place Poster Award.
Sangeetha Tandalam & Irene Hoxie “Host-Acquired Factor Impacts Fitness on Subsequent Hosts in an RNA Virus”
and Lastly Carmen Urgiles presented “Does Cell Growth Rate Affect Lysis Timing in Escherichia coli Lambda?” and received an Oral Presentation award.
The Dennehy Lab welcomes quite a few lab members. Anna Gao (undergraduate), Sherin Kannoly (postdoctoral researcher) and Michelle Markman (undergraduate).