Visiting Professor of Biology, Linfield College

Education

• Research mentor:Carolina B. López, Ph.D.; University of Pennsylvania

• Teaching mentor: Jamie Gallagher, PhD; Lincoln University

• Teaching mentor: Tracie Paulson, PhD; Rutgers-Camden University

Research Topic: Innate Responses to Defective Viral Genomes

The paramyxovirus family consists of (-)ssRNA viruses, such as Measles Virus and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), which are significant contributors to human disease, with a recent measles outbreak in 2015 and nearly every child infected with RSV by 2 years of age.  During rapidly replicating RNA virus infections, the error-prone viral polymerase generates shortened defective viral genomes (DVGs) which induce a potent antiviral immune response, interfere with viral replication, and reduce disease severity.  My work centers on investigating host factors that contribute to DVG-triggered antiviral immunity in order to further understand the innate responses and elucidate pathways that are protective following infection with paramyxoviruses.  These host factors may serve as targets for new therapeutic approaches or correlates of protection for novel vaccination strategies.  In time, my intent is to continue my studies as a professor at a primarily undergraduate institution with potential student projects focusing on individual host factors or unique DVGs with distinctive functions and host interactions.

Courses Taught

• BIO-407-001 – Molecular Biology; Instructor; Lincoln University; Oxford, PA

• BIO50:120:127:01 – Principles of Biology; Co-Instructor; Rutgers University – Camden, Camden, NJ

• ANPY – Anatomy and Physiology, Instructor and Course Mentor, Center for Talented Youth – Haverford and Roger Williams Sites, Johns Hopkins University

• BIOL406 – Molecular Mechanisms of Infectious Disease Biology; Teaching Assistant; University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

• BIOL483/CAMB483– Epigenetics; Teaching Assistant; University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

 
Publications

Journal Publications 

• Xu J, López X, Grier JT, Chun L, Irvine E, Toro Y, Hur S, Gale M, Raj A, López CB. Identification of a Natural Viral RNA Motif that Optimizes Sensing of Viral RNA by RIG-I. mBio. 2015

• Grier JT, Forbes LR, Monaco-Shawver L, Oshinsky J, Atkinson TP, Moody C, Pandey R, Campbell KS, Orange JS. Human immunodeficiency-causing mutation defines CD16 in spontaneous NK cell cytotoxicity. 2012. J Clin Invest. 122(10):3769-8

• Heyward CY, Patel R, Mace EM, Grier JT, Guan H, Makrigiannis AP, Orange JS, Riccardi RP. Tumorigenic adenovirus 12 cells evade NK cell lysis by reducing the expression of NKG2D ligands. 2012. Immunol Lett. 144:16-23.  

Contact info:

Jennifer T Grier, Ph.D.                              
IRACDA Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Pathobiology
University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
380 South University Avenue, 337 Hill
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Email: grierjt@upenn.edu
Twitter: @DrGrier