Research Overview

We study two viruses that can infect the human liver. These are known as hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis delta virus (HDV). Chronic infections can lead to extensive liver damage and a greatly increased risk of proceeding to cancer. One current research interest is to understand how these two viruses are able to enter cells into liver cells. The second, more long-term interest, is to understand how the HDV is able to replicate its ribonucleic acid (RNA) genome.

Description of research projects
Selected Publications

Fox Chase Programs

Extramural Affiliations

  1. Gudima S, He Y, Chai N, Bruss V, Urban S, Mason W, Taylor J. Primary human hepatocytes are susceptible to infection by hepatitis delta virus assembled with envelope proteins of woodchuck hepatitis virus. J Virol 2008 82: 7276-7283. PubMed
  2. Chang J, Nie X, Chang H, Han Z, Taylor J. Transcription of hepatitis delta virus RNA by RNA polymerase II. J Virol 2008 82:1118-1127. PubMed
  3. Chai N, Gudima S, Chang H, Chang J, Taylor J. Hepatitis B virus envelope proteins can be assembled onto a lentivirus vector that specifically and efficiently infects primary human hepatocytes. J Virol 2007 81:10897-10904.PubMed
  4. Chai N, Gudima S, Chang J, Taylor J. Immunoadhesins containing pre-S domains of hepatitis B virus large envelope protein are secreted and inhibit virus infection. J Virol 2007 81:4912-4918. PubMed
  5. Gudima S, Meier A, Dunbrack R, Taylor J, Bruss V. Two potentially important elements of the hepatitis B virus large envelope protein are dispensable for the infectivity of hepatitis delta virus. J Virol 2007 81:4343-4347, 2007. PubMed
  6. Gudima S, He Y, Meier A, Chang J, Chen R, Jarnik M, Nicolas E, Bruss V, Taylor J. Assembly of hepatitis delta virus: particle characterization including ability to infect primary human hepatocytes. J Virol 2007 81:3607-3617. PubMed
All publications