We have two projects in my lab. The first project is focused on identifying evolutionarily conserved RNA secondary structures in the coronavirus RNA genome and functionally examining their role in viral replication through reverse genetic and biochemical approaches. We have previously done this for a number of RNA secondary structures contained within the 5? and 3? regions of the genome and shown that they function as cis-acting elements in replication. Studies in my laboratory have identified a structurally dynamic region of the 5'UTR that interacts with the 3'UTR to facilitate transcription.
A second project in my laboratory has been to develop a reverse genetic system for MHV-1. In collaboration with investigators in Toronto and Pennsylvania my laboratory has demonstrated that MHV-1 infection of susceptible mice provides a safe and convenient rodent model for severe coronavirus infections such as SARS and MERS. The development of a reverse genetic system will allow us to investigate the contributions of individual viral genes to the pathogenesis of the severe pulmonary disease caused by this virus.
- University of California, San Diego - (San Diego, California, United States), Postdoctoral Training 1979
- Ph.D. in Cell Biology, Montefiore Medical Center - (The Bronx, New York, United States) 1975
- M.D. in Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center - (The Bronx, New York, United States) 1975
- B.A. in Chemistry, Alfred University - (Alfred, New York, United States) 1968
Academic Articles140
- Wells, K. M., He, K., Pandey, A., Cabello, A., Zhang, D., Yang, J., ... de Figueiredo, P. (2022). Brucella activates the host RIDD pathway to subvert BLOS1-directed immune defense. eLife. 11, e73625.
- Holmes, E. C., Goldstein, S. A., Rasmussen, A. L., Robertson, D. L., Crits-Christoph, A., Wertheim, J. O., ... Rambaut, A. (2021). The origins of SARS-CoV-2: A critical review. Cell. 184(19), 4848-4856.
- Jiang, Y., Zhang, H., Wippold, J. A., Gupta, J., Dai, J., Figueiredo, P., Leibowitz, J. L., & Han, A. (2021). Cover Image, Volume 118, Number 5, May 2021. Biotechnology and Bioengineering. 118(5), i-i.
- Jiang, Y., Zhang, H., Wippold, J. A., Gupta, J., Dai, J., de Figueiredo, P., Leibowitz, J. L., & Han, A. (2021). Sub-second heat inactivation of coronavirus using a betacoronavirus model.. Biotechnol Bioeng. 118(5), 2067-2075.
- Wippold, J. A., Wang, H., Tingling, J., Leibowitz, J. L., de Figueiredo, P., & Han, A. (2020). PRESCIENT: platform for the rapid evaluation of antibody success using integrated microfluidics enabled technology.. Lab Chip. 20(9), 1628-1638.
Chapters5
- Weiss, S. R., & Leibowitz, J. L. (2011). Chapter 4 - Coronavirus Pathogenesis. Advances in virus research. Maramorosch, K., Shatkin, A. J., & Murphy, F. A. (Eds.), Advances in Virus Research. 85-164. Academic Press.
- Liu, P., & Leibowitz, J. (2010). RNA Higher-Order Structures Within the Coronavirus 5 and 3 Untranslated Regions and Their Roles in Viral Replication. Lal, S. K. (Eds.), Molecular Biology of the SARS-Coronavirus. 47-61. Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
- Weiss, S. R., & Leibowitz, J. L. (2007). Pathogenesis of Murine Coronavirus Infection. Nidoviruses. 259-278. ASM Press.
- Liu, P., Millership, J. J., Li, L., Giedroc, D. P., & Leibowitz, J. L. (2006). A previously unrecognized UNR stem-loop structure in the coronavirus 5' untranslated region plays a functional role in replication.. MATHEMATICAL MODELLING IN EXPERIMENTAL NUTRITION. 25-30.
- Weiss, S. R., Hughes, S. A., Bonilla, P. J., Turner, J. D., Leibowitz, J. L., & Denison, M. R. (1994). Coronavirus polyprotein processing. Archives of virology. Supplementum. Positive-Strand RNA Viruses. 349-358. Springer Nature.
Conference Papers8
- OLESZAK, E. L., PERLMAN, S., PARR, R., COLLISSON, E. W., & LEIBOWITZ, J. L. (1993). MOLECULAR MIMICRY BETWEEN S-PEPLOMER PROTEINS OF CORONAVIRIDAE (MHV, BCV, TGEV AND IBV) AND FC RECEPTOR. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY. 150(8), A88-A88.
- Lampert, P. W., Fujinami, R. S., Rodriguez, M., Leibowitz, J. L., & Lang, W. (1983). 63 FURTHER STUDIES ON THE PATHOGENESIS OF THEILERS MURINE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS. Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology. 42(3), 326-326.
- CABIRAC, G. F., STRAYER, D. S., SELL, S., & LEIBOWITZ, J. L. (1983). INVESTIGATIONS ON THE IDENTITY OF MALIGNANT RABBIT FIBROMA VIRUS. FEDERATION PROCEEDINGS. 42(4), 968-968.
- STRAYER, D. S., SELL, S., CABIRAC, G. F., SKALETSKY, E., SHARP, P., & LEIBOWITZ, J. L. (1982). INVITRO ANALYSIS OF IMMUNOSUPPRESSION IN RABBITS CAUSED BY THE MALIGNANT VARIANT OF SHOPE FIBROMA VIRUS. IMMUNOBIOLOGY. 163(2-4), 235-236.
- LEIBOWITZ, J. L., DEVRIES, J. R., & ALEXANDER, C. (1981). A GENETIC-ANALYSIS OF MURINE HEPATITIS-VIRUS, STRAIN JHM. FEDERATION PROCEEDINGS. 40(3), 763-763.
Repository Documents / Preprints2
- Wells, K., He, K., Pandey, A., Cabello, A., Zhang, D., Yang, J., ... de Figueiredo, P. (2021). Diverse pathogens activate the host RIDD pathway to subvert BLOS1-directed immune defense.
- Jiang, Y., Zhang, H., Wippold, J. A., Gupta, J., Dai, J., de Figueiredo, P., Leibowitz, J. L., & Han, A. (2020). Sub-second heat inactivation of coronavirus.
- Texas A&M researchers developing device to identify antibodies to fight COVID-19 Homeland Preparedness News June 4, 2020
- There's a lot we don't know': UW researchers look at how coronavirus turns body against itself and kills The Seattle Times March 22, 2020
Principal Investigator1
Co-Principal Investigator2
- BICH491 Hnr-research Instructor
- BICH491 Research Instructor
- GENE491 Hnr-research Instructor
- GENE491 Research Instructor
- MSCI620 The Scientific Basis Of Med Instructor
- McGruder, Brenna Mariechen (2014-05). Potential Genetic Contributions to a Pneumopathogenic MHV-1 Virus: Analysis by Targeted Recombination and Whole Genome Sequencing in the MHV-1 Model of SARS-COV Lung Disease. (Doctoral Dissertation)
- Johnson, Reed Findley (2003-05). Characterization of the 3' terminal 42 nucleotide host protein binding element of the mouse hepatitis virus 3' untranslated region. (Doctoral Dissertation)