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 Associate Professor |
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Ph.D.,
University of London,
1989 |
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| Research |
Structural studies of ssDNA viruses, Parvoviridae, Geminiviridae, microviridae, and circoviridae.
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| Office: |
LG-181 B |
| Lab: |
LG-171 B |
| Telephone: |
(352) 392-5694 |
| Email: |
mckenna@ufl.edu |
| Home
Page: |
http://
www.ufbi.ufl.edu/facilities/msg |
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BIOGRAPHY |
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Mavis Agbandje-McKenna received her Ph.D. in Biophysics at the University of London in 1989 under the direction of Prof. Stephen Neidle for work on the biophysical characterization of a novel group of DNA-intercalating anthraquinone anti-tumor agents. In 1989, she became a postdoctoral research assistant in the Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, Indiana, where she carried out research on structure to function correlation for the ssDNA Parvoviridae. In 1995, she joined the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Warwick, England, UK, as an independent research fellow, where her research on structure-function analysis of ssDNA viruses expanded to include the ssDNA Geminiviridae and Microviridae. Dr. Agbandje-McKenna joined the Faculty at the University of Florida in 1999. At the University of Florida her work on ssDNA viruses has expanded to include TT virus, the newly discovered member of the Circoviridae. |
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RESEARCH DESCRIPTION |
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Using structural biology tools, namely X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy, we study members of the ssDNA virus families, Microviridae, Geminiviridae, Circoviridae and Parvoviridae, that infect bacteria, plants and mammals. The aim is to elucidate the roles of viral capsid and capsid protein structures in the dynamic array of biological processes occurring in the viral life cycle, from the intitial stages of host infection to the delivery of genetic material into host cells and encapsidation of genomic DNA in viral progeny. We are also interested in understanding viral capsid adaptations that govern interactions with host immune machineries, especially mechanisms of host immune surveillance evasion and antibody enhancement of viral infection. The ultimate goal is to aid the development of disease treatments, in the form of viral vaccines, foreign antigen delivery vehicles and gene therapy vectors.
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