Frederic Bushman
Professor, Dept of Microbiology

Microbiology, Virology and Parasitology Program

Address

402C Johnson Pavilion
3610 Hamilton Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6076

Office tel.: 215 573-8732
Lab tel.: 215 573-8733
Fax: 215 573-4856
E-mail: bushman@mail.med.upenn.edu

Link(s)

Bushman Laboratory Website
Dr. Bushman's Micro Dept. page

Education

Amherst: BA (Biology and English), 1980.

Harvard University: PhD (Cellular and Developmental Biology), 1988.

Research Interests

• Virology, HIV, Poxviruses, DNA modifying enzymes, Lateral DNA transfer.

Key words: HIV, integration, integrase, poxvirus, DNA modifying enzyme, virology, variola, RNA interference, interferon.

Search PubMed for articles

Description of Research

Research in the laboratory of Dr. Frederic Bushman focuses on understanding the transfer of genetic information between cells and organisms. Phenomena as diverse as viral replication, microbial pathogenesis, immune system development and genomic evolution are all mediated in large measure by reactions that transfer and rearrange DNA sequences. Research is further focused on DNA modifying enzymes encoded by medically relevant pathogens, since these are a particularly interesting set and also important as drug targets. Major projects in the laboratory focus on two viral model systems: HIV and poxviruses.

Recent Publications

A. Ciuffi, M. Llano, E. Poeschla, H. Marshall, C. Hoffman, J. Leipzig, P. Shinn, J. Ecker, F. Bushman. (2005) A role for LEDGF/p75 in targeting HIV DNA Integration. Nat. Med. 11, p. 1287-1289.

K. Perry, Y. Hwang, F. D. Bushman, and G. D. Van Duyne. (2006) Structural basis for specificity in the poxvirus topoisomerase. Mol. Cell 23, p. 343-354.

M. K. Lewinski, M. Yamashita, M. Emerman, A. Ciuffi, H. Marshall, G. Crawford, F. Collins, P. Shinn, J. Leipzig, S. Hannenhalli, C. C. Berry, J. R. Ecker, F. D. Bushman. (2006) Retroviral DNA integration: viral and cellular determinants of target site selection. PLoS Pathogens 2, e60.

G. P. Wang, A. Ciuffi, J. Leipzig, C. C. Berry, F. D. Bushman. HIV integration in the human genome: regulation by post-translational modification of histones. Genome Res. (in press)

C. Hoffmann, N. Minkah, J. Leipzig, G. Wang, M. Arens, P. Tebas, and F. D. Bushman. DNA Bar-Coding and Pyrophosphate Sequencing to Identify Rare HIV Drug Resistance Mutations. Nuc. Acids Res. (in press)

Lab

Rotation Projects

Study of host cell factors important in the early steps of HIV infection. Study of DNA modifying enzymes important in poxvirus replication.

Lab personnel:

Staff Scientist
Young Hwang

Post-doctoral researchers
Troy Brady
Tracy Diamond
Gary Wang

Graduate students
Matt Culyba
Heather Marshall
Keshet Ronen

Research Assistants
Christian Hoffmann
Nana Minkah

Programmer
Nirav Malani

Administrative Assistant
Mali Skotheim