Research output per year
Research output per year
Haartmaninkatu 3
00290 Helsinki
Finland
Public description:
We are now living in the second golden era of virology research. Newer techniques and detection methods are opening new frontiers in virus discovery. Since 2005, 9 novel human parvoviruses have been discovered, of which bocavirus 1 has been shown by us and others to cause mild to life-threatening pediatric respiratory tract infections, bufavirus to associate with diarrhea, and cutavirus with cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Many of these viruses have, however, been identified so recently that almost nothing is known of their biology, epidemiology or pathogenicity. We are determining the biological and clinical significance and spread of these emerging human parvoviruses by development of a complete repertoire of methods for their detection and accurate diagnosis of their infections. We further intend to characterize the viruses themselves and identify their cell- and tissue tropisms as well as the mechanism of persistence in our body. Novel unknown viruses like these can be of fundamental importance in causing acute or chronic illness, and assessment of their disease associations, epidemiology and molecular characteristics may provide new opportunities for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of many diseases awaiting etiology. Our results have the potential to open new research avenues in basic and clinical virology, cancer research and health care.
Recent highlights:
- We showed that antibody EIA, mRNA RT-PCR or PCR of serum is needed for accurate diagnosis of acute HBoV1 infections, while the commonly used PCR of airway samples is insufficient.
- We showed that respiratory infections by HBoV1 are systemic, elicit immune responses, cause respiratory tract symptoms and otitis media, and affect almost all children before age 7.
- We showed that HBoV1 can persist in the upper airways for 6 months, cause life-threatening respiratory infections, can penetrate the blood-brain barrier causing encephalitis, and along with HBoV2-4, confuse serology by cross reactivity and an immunological phenomenon called “original antigenic sin”.
- We confirmed bufavirus to be a human virus and showed B-cell responses in humans.
- We found a striking difference in the global seroprevalence of BuV: 2-4% in Finland and the USA but 56-85% in Africa and the Middle East.
- We found a significant association of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma with detection of cutavirus DNA in skin biopsies.
Our team:
Current team members: Elina Väisänen, Man Xu, Ushanandini Mohanraj, Rajita Rayamajhi Thapa, and PI: Maria Söderlund-Venermo
Recent graduate and short-term students: Inga Ziemle, Yu Fu, Daranee Monthian, Maija Jokinen, and Michelle Ardales
Past PhD students: Kati Hokynar 2007, Laura Kakkola 2008, Anita Riipinen 2011, Päivi Norja 2012, Tingting Chen 2013, Kalle Kantola 2014, Reza Sadeghi 2014.
Person: Visiting scholar, Doctoral Researcher, Teaching and research personnel
Person: U3 Research and teaching staff, UH
Person: U2 Teaching and research staff, UH
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Research output: Thesis › Doctoral Thesis › Collection of Articles
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Maria Söderlund-Venermo (Member of editorial board)
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review of manuscripts
Maria Söderlund-Venermo (Reviewer)
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review of manuscripts
Maria Söderlund-Venermo (Participant)
Activity: Other activity types › Types for other activities - Other
Maria Söderlund-Venermo (Reviewer)
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editor of research anthology/collection/conference proceedings
Maria Söderlund-Venermo (Member of editorial board)
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review of manuscripts
04/04/2021
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
28/03/2021
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
09/01/2008
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
01/10/2007
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media