Meda Higa, Ph.D.
Meda Higa, Ph.D.
Contact information
301A Johnson Pavilion
3610 Hamilton Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4215
3610 Hamilton Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4215
Office: 215-746-6756
Email:
mhiga@mail.med.upenn.edu
mhiga@mail.med.upenn.edu
Education:
B.A. (Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology)
University of California, Santa Cruz, 1998.
Ph.D. (Oncological Sciences)
University of Utah, 2006.
Permanent linkB.A. (Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology)
University of California, Santa Cruz, 1998.
Ph.D. (Oncological Sciences)
University of Utah, 2006.
Description of Research Expertise
My research focuses on the cell biology of hantaviruses in the family Bunyaviridae. Hantaviruses are rodent-born viruses that can be transmitted to humans and result in two highly pathogenic diseases, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). The objectives of my research are to better understand the cellular interactions of hantaviruses.Hantavirus glycoproteins, Gn and Gc, promote cell attachment and fusion of virus and endosomal membranes, although the roles of GN and GC in receptor binding and cell fusion have not been well characterized. To address more specifically the role of PUUV and SNV glycoproteins in viral entry in a BSL2 setting, we have adapted the technique of pseudotyping hantavirus glycoproteins onto a Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) core. These pseudotypes are specifically neutralized with glycoprotein antibodies, and infection characteristics are similar to that seen with wild-type virus. Work is currently underway to further elucidate the role of hantavirus glycoproteins in cell entry and infection.
Selected Publications
Higa, M.M. and Ullman K.S.: Nup153. UCSD-Nature Molecule Pages 2008 Notes: doi:10.1038/mp.a003702.01.Higa, M.M.: A Mentor in the Making, or How to Become a Good Professor. SACNAS News 11(1): 18-19, 2008.
Higa Meda M, Alam Steven L, Sundquist Wesley I, Ullman Katharine S: Molecular characterization of the Ran-binding zinc finger domain of Nup153. The Journal of biological chemistry 282(23): 17090-100, Jun 2007.
Higa Meda M, Ullman Katharine S, Prunuske Amy J: Studying nuclear disassembly in vitro using Xenopus egg extract. Methods (San Diego, Calif.) 39(4): 284-90, Aug 2006.