Laboratory Head
Professor Eric Gowans, MAppSci, PhD
Leader, Molecular Biology Group
Dr Gholamreza Haqshenas, DVM, PhD
Post Doctoral Fellow
Dr Wesley Black, BSc (Hons), PhD
PhD students
Ms Sook-San Wong, BBMedSc, MSc
Mr Xuebin Dong, MPh (Master of Philosophy)
Mr Ali Gorzin, MSc
Mr Hamid Gouklani, BSc, MSc
Mr Ashraf Khasawneh, (Masters of Biomedical Science)
Mr Philipe Latour, BSc Hons
Research Overview
The hepatitis C laboratory – molecular biology subgroup is undertaking studies of the replication and virus assembly mechanisms used by members of the Flaviviridae family, including hepatitis C virus, GB virus-B and dengue fever virus.
In addition, other major areas of research include the examination of potential antiviral targets to inhibit the replication of hepatitis C virus and the development of animal models for hepatitis C virus infection.
Research Objectives
• To understand the details of the replication strategy of hepatitis C virus, with particular emphasis on the roles of the p7 and the NS2 proteins
• To discover novel antivirals which inhibit virus replication
• To use animal models in vaccine and therapeutical trials
Research Highlights
• The function of small viral proteins termed viroporins, to generate channels in cell membranes is often examined in stirred chambers containing lipid membranes. We showed that there is often a dichotomy in the results of potential viroporin inhibitors in these stirred chambers compared with cell culture systems. Consequently, it is important to examine potential antiviral agents in authentic cell culture systems
• We established the cell culture system for hepatitis C virus and performed comprehensive studies on the expression and localisation of the p7 protein, proposed to represent a viroporin. These studies showed for the first time that the p7 protein is likely to have a role in the formation of hepatitis C virus particles