Virology

Welcome to the Molecular Virology Support Core (MVSC) website!

The MVSC is a research support core at the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC). The Core’s mission is to provide essential virology services, reagents, specialized expertise and training to investigators in order to advance a wide array of research, with a particular focus on non-human primates (NHP). These range from basic studies in viral pathogenesis and immunology all the way to viral vaccines, gene transfer, and gene therapy.

Specifically, the MVSC provides specialized expertise and infrastructure in five essential areas:

- Virus identification and quantification in clinical specimens

- Production of virus stocks, virus vectors, and viral antigen preparations

- Serologic assays to assess host antiviral immune responses

- Maintenance of cell stocks and sample processing

- Development of new reagents and standardized assays

The MVSC has considerable experience and expertise in both viral diagnostics and production, particularly for AIDS and CMV pathogenesis and vaccine studies, and in adenoviral vector production.

Core Services

Adenovirus
    * Adenoviral vector engineering (both bacterial and mammalian recombination systems)
    * Custom adenoviral vector stock production
    * Virus titration (particle titer; TCID₅₀)
    * Adenovirus replication-competent virus (RCV) assay

Lentivirus (HIV, SIV, and SHIV)
    * Virus stock production
    * Virus titration (sMAGI; TCID₅₀)
    * SIV plasma viral load quantification (qPCR)
    * Ultrasensitive SIV detection and quantification in tissues (nested digital qPCR)
    * SIV p27 protein and SIV antibody determination (ELISA)
    * SIV in vitro infectivity (leukocytes)
    (For lentiviral vector services, please contact the ONPRC Molecular and Cell Biology Core)

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
    * Virus co-culture from animal tissues
    * Virus stock and vector production
    * Virus titration (TCID₅₀)
    * Crude infected cell lysate for viral protein
    * Viral load quantification (qPCR)
    * Antiviral antibody determination (ELISA)
    * Virus plaque purification
    * Virus growth curves

Expanded Simian-Pathogen Free Agents (ESPF)
    * RhCMV, RRV, and SFV viral antigen preparations for ESPF screening

Vaccinia (MVA)
    * Virus stock and vector production
    * Virus plaque assays

Miscellaneous
    * Small and large-scale tissue processing
    * Virus isolation from tissues and fluids
    * Manual and robotic nucleic acid isolation and purification
    * Cloning and plasmid preparation
    * Western blotting to confirm viral protein or transgene expression 
    * Cell stocks, primary and cell lines
    * Sample processing and banking


The MVSC also offers data analysis and troubleshooting, custom services, consultation and training. Please inquire if you need additional assays not listed here and for assay development. We are committed to serving you and your research needs. 
   

Contacts

Christoph A. Kahl, Ph.D., Director, kahl@ohsu.edu, 503-200-4642
Don Siess, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate, siessd@ohsu.edu, 503-629-4042
Jeffrey Torgerson, Research Assistant 2, torgersj@ohsu.edu
Fax: 949-607-2608

Shipping Address

Molecular Virology Support Core (MVSC)
Research Building, Room 046
Oregon National Primate Research Center
Oregon Health & Science University
505 NW 185th Avenue
Beaverton, OR 97006

Facilities

The MVSC laboratories are located in the Research Building centrally located on the ONPRC campus. The MVSC laboratory (over 1,000 sq. ft.) contains a tissue culture room, as well as molecular virology and general laboratory space. The laboratory is divided into a Biological Safety Level (BSL)-2 space and a separate BSL-2+ laboratory (315 sq. ft.) used for work with infectious HIV and SIV samples. The laboratories are well equipped for virus isolation/propagation, PCR-based quantitative virology methods, serology/immunology, and molecular virology under BSL-2 and BSL-2+ containment levels. Major MVSC equipment includes biosafety cabinets, CO2 incubators, fluorescent microscope, tissue grinders, robotic nucleic acid purification system, nanodrop, table-top and ultracentrifuges, PCR hood, multifunction plate reader and washer, thermocyclers for quantitative and standard PCR, bacterial incubator and shaker, liquid nitrogen dewer, fridges and freezers for sample storage.