Research

Our research interests are in human immunodeficiency virus and cytomegalovirus infections. Dr. Meier directs the University of Iowa HIV Clinical Trials Program. The laboratory studies human cytomegalovirus, with particular attention to the molecular mechanisms underlying viral replication, persistence, and reactivation and to the functioning of these mechanisms in different types of human cells and tissues. Cytomegalovirus is the most common infectious cause of birth defects and reactivates to cause life-threatening disease in persons with impaired immunity, such as persons having AIDS or receiving a stem cell or solid organ transplantation. Projects that are currently active in the laboratory include:

  1. Characterization of the molecular pathways involved in silencing the human cytomegalovirus major immediate-early enhancer/promoter, the master control switch for viral replication.
  2. Determination of the stimuli and signaling pathways involved in human cytomegalovirus reactivation in quiescently infected cells.
  3. Characterization of human cytomegalovirus infection in neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic cells, and vascular tissues.
  4. Evaluation of the role of human adipose tissue in cytomegalovirus dissemination and disease.

Recent Publications

Variable Effects of Autophagy Induction by Trehalose on Herpesviruses Depending on Conditions of Infection.
Meier JL, Grose C.
Yale J Biol Med. 2017 Mar 29;90(1):25-33. eCollection 2017 Mar.
PMID: 28356891 

Differentiation-Coupled Induction of Human Cytomegalovirus Replication by Union of the Major Enhancer Retinoic Acid, Cyclic AMP, and NF-κB Response Elements.
Yuan J, Li M, Torres YR, Galle CS, Meier JL.
J Virol. 2015 Dec;89(24):12284-98. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00965-15. Epub 2015 Sep 30.

Differential Survival for Men and Women with HIV/AIDS-Related Neurologic Diagnoses.
Carvour ML, Harms JP, Lynch CF, Mayer RR, Meier JL, Liu D, Torner JC.
PLoS One. 2015 Jun 24;10(6):e0123119. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123119. eCollection 2015.

Paring Down cytomegalovirus's role in acute respiratory distress syndrome outcome*.
Meier JL.
Crit Care Med. 2015 Feb;43(2):498-9. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000000828.

Phorbol ester-induced human cytomegalovirus major immediate-early (MIE) enhancer activation through PKC-delta, CREB, and NF-kappaB desilences MIE gene expression in quiescently infected human pluripotent NTera2 cells.
Liu X, Yuan J, Wu AW, McGonagill PW, Galle CS, Meier JL.
J Virol. 2010 Sep;84(17):8495-508. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00416-10. Epub 2010 May 26.

See complete publications on Pubmed