Grants per year
Personal profile
Research Interests
Research in the Longnecker laboratory focuses on herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). These viruses typically cause self-limiting disease within the human population but both can be associated with serious complications. EBV is associated with variety of hematopoietic cancers such as African Burkitt lymphoma, Hodgkin Lymphoma and adult T-cell leukemia. EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disease occurs in individuals with congenital or acquired cellular immune deficiencies. The two notable epithelial diseases associated with EBV infection are nasopharyngeal cancer and oral hairy leukoplakia. Similar to EBV, HSV latent infections are very common in humans. HSV typically does not cause severe disease but is associated with localized mucocutaneous lesions, but in some cases can cause meningitis and encephalitis. The Longnecker laboratory focuses on several aspects of EBV and HSV replication and pathogenesis. First, the molecular basis EBV transformation and how it relates to cancer is being investigated. The laboratory is currently screening selective inhibitors that may be beneficial in EBV-associated cancers such as Hodgkin lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma and proliferative disorders that occur in HIV/AIDS and transplant patients. Second, the laboratory is investigating herpesvirus latency in the human host and pathogenesis associated with infections in humans. In this regard, the laboratory is developing animal models for EBV and HSV infections. Finally, the laboratory is investigating the function of herpesvirus encoded proteins and the cellular receptors that are important for infection both using in vivo culture models as well as animal models. Ultimately, studies by the Longnecker laboratory may provide insight for the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of herpesvirus infections in humans and better understanding of the herpesvirus life cycle in the human host.
Training Experience
1988 | Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Chicago |
1992 | Postdoctoral Fellowship, Harvard University |
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Virology, PhD, University of Chicago
… → 1987
Research interests keywords
- Cancer Biology
- Signal Transduction
- Systems Biology
- Viral Oncology
- Viral Pathogenesis
- Virology
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Epstein-Barr Virus Entry into Epithelial Cells
Longnecker, R. M. (PD/PI) & Chen, J. (Co-Investigator)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
6/3/24 → 4/30/26
Project: Research project
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Receptor Usage and Regulation of the Immune Response in HSV Infection
Longnecker, R. M. (PD/PI)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
8/16/23 → 7/31/25
Project: Research project
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Mechanism of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Induced Membrane Fusion
Longnecker, R. M. (PD/PI), Longnecker, R. M. (PD/PI) & Longnecker, R. M. (PD/PI)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
12/1/19 → 11/30/25
Project: Research project
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High Collection-volume Nasal Swab and Patient App for Self-testing
Grayson, M. A. (PD/PI), Alshurafa, N. (Co-Investigator), Ameer, G. A. (Co-Investigator), Jennings, L. J. (Co-Investigator), Longnecker, R. M. (Co-Investigator) & O'Leary, K. J. (Co-Investigator)
National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance, Inc., National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
6/3/20 → 6/16/20
Project: Research project
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Abemaciclib treatment for EBV-associated lymphoma
Longnecker, R. M. (PD/PI) & Ikeda, M. (Other)
3/10/20 → 3/9/22
Project: Research project
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Human TMEFF1 is a restriction factor for herpes simplex virus in the brain
Chan, Y. H., Liu, Z., Bastard, P., Khobrekar, N., Hutchison, K. M., Yamazaki, Y., Fan, Q., Matuozzo, D., Harschnitz, O., Kerrouche, N., Nakajima, K., Amin, P., Yatim, A., Rinchai, D., Chen, J., Zhang, P., Ciceri, G., Chen, J., Dobbs, K. & Belkaya, S. & 29 others, , Aug 8 2024, In: Nature. 632, 8024, p. 390-400 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access6 Scopus citations -
Leveraging biotin-based proximity labeling to identify cellular factors governing early alphaherpesvirus infection
Quan, J., Fan, Q., Simons, L. M., Smukowski, S. N., Pegg, C., Longnecker, R., Savas, J. N., Hultquist, J. F. & Smith, G. A., Aug 2024, In: mBio. 15, 8Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access3 Scopus citations -
Structures of Epstein-Barr virus and Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus virions reveal species-specific tegument and envelope features
Zhen, J., Chen, J., Huang, H., Liao, S., Liu, S., Yuan, Y., Sun, R., Longnecker, R., Wu, T. T. & Zhou, Z. H., Nov 2024, In: Journal of virology. 98, 11Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
1 Scopus citations -
Multiple Sites on Glycoprotein H (gH) Functionally Interact with the gB Fusion Protein to Promote Fusion during Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Entry
Fan, Q., Hippler, D. P., Yang, Y., Longnecker, R. & Connolly, S. A., Jan 2023, In: mBio. 14, 1Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access5 Scopus citations -
Unique functional responses differentially map onto genetic subtypes of dopamine neurons
Azcorra, M., Gaertner, Z., Davidson, C., He, Q., Kim, H., Nagappan, S., Hayes, C. K., Ramakrishnan, C., Fenno, L., Kim, Y. S., Deisseroth, K., Longnecker, R., Awatramani, R. & Dombeck, D. A., Oct 2023, In: Nature neuroscience. 26, 10, p. 1762-1774 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access42 Scopus citations
Datasets
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Crystal Structure of the Epstein-Barr virus gH and gL complex
Matsuura, H. (Contributor), Kirschner, A. N. (Contributor), Longnecker, R. (Contributor) & Jardetzky, T. S. (Contributor), Protein Data Bank (PDB), Jan 12 2011
DOI: 10.2210/pdb3PHF/pdb, https://www.wwpdb.org/pdb?id=pdb_00003phf
Dataset
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Crystal structure of EBV gHgL/CL40/gp42 N-domain
Sathiyamoorthy, K. (Contributor), Jiang, J. (Contributor), Möhl, B. S. (Contributor), Chen, J. (Contributor), Zhou, Z. H. (Contributor), Longnecker, R. (Contributor) & Jardetzky, T. S. (Contributor), Protein Data Bank (PDB), Oct 4 2017
DOI: 10.2210/pdb5W0K/pdb, https://www.wwpdb.org/pdb?id=pdb_00005w0k
Dataset
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Crystal structure of a trimeric variant of the Epstein-Barr virus glycoprotein B
Backovic, M. (Contributor), Longnecker, R. (Contributor) & Jardetzky, T. S. (Contributor), Protein Data Bank (PDB), Mar 17 2009
DOI: 10.2210/pdb3FVC/pdb, https://www.wwpdb.org/pdb?id=pdb_00003fvc
Dataset
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Crystal Structure of Epstein-Barr virus gp42 protein
Kirschner, A. N. (Contributor), Sorem, J. (Contributor), Longnecker, R. (Contributor) & Jardetzky, T. S. (Contributor), Protein Data Bank (PDB), Jun 23 2009
DOI: 10.2210/pdb3FD4/pdb, https://www.wwpdb.org/pdb?id=pdb_00003fd4
Dataset
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Multi-pronged modulation of cytokine signaling
Shim, A.H.-R. (Contributor), Chang, R. A. (Contributor), Chen, X. (Contributor), Longnecker, R. (Contributor) & He, X. (Contributor), Protein Data Bank (PDB), Aug 29 2012
DOI: 10.2210/pdb4FA8/pdb, https://www.wwpdb.org/pdb?id=pdb_00004fa8
Dataset