Faculty and Staff

Burk Jubelt, M.D. Professor, Neurology Chief, Neurology 5820 University Hospital Upstate Medical University 750 East Adams Street Syracuse, NY 13210 (315) 464-6401 Lab/Professional Web Site

Education and Clinical Training

Clinical Specialty

Clinical Department/Section Affiliations

Clinical Interests

Research Program and Department Affiliations

Research Interests

Research Abstract

Immune Response to CNS Poliovirus Infections: Clearance and Persistence.

The CNS immune response to viral infection is quite different than the peripheral immune response. These studies will characterize that part of the immune response specific to the CNS utilizing our CNS viral model.

Molecular Basis of CNS Poliovirus Pathogenesis. With D. Kelley-Geraghty

To understand neurovirulence, the molecular aspects of poliovirus pathogenesis are under investigation. Our lab studies differences between recombinant viruses (attenuated and virulent strains) and oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis to determine if specific nucleotide sequences of the genome control the ability of the virus to spread in the CNS and the ability to elicit immune responses.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Motor Neuron Gene Expression. With D. Kelley-Geraghty

Motor neurons have been isolated from autopsy spinal cords of ALS patients and controls. RNA has been isolated from these motor neurons and cDNA libraries have been constructed. Subtraction of these libraries has begun in an attempt to identify motor neuron specific genes and gene products.

Experimental Treatment of Scrapie with Axonal Transport Inhibitors.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is a human transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (also known as a Prion disease) that causes a fatal degenerative neurological disease. Scrapie infection of hamsters is a model for CJD. Experimental studies suggest that the CJD and scrapie agents enter the CNS and spread by axonal transport. We are studying the effect of axonal transport blocking agents on scrapie pathogenesis.

Olfactory Function Following Viral Infections. With SL Youngentob and JE Schwob

Anosmia, a deficit in the ability to detect odors, affects many people after an upper respiratory infection. Our lab (with the departments of anatomy and physiology) is developing an animal model to study this condition.

Selected References

Jubelt,B., Ropka,S.: The role of T cells during a persistent CNS poliovirus infection. American Academy of Neurology, 1993 and Neurology 43 (Suppl. 1): A291.

Rickert,K., Kelley-Geraghty,D.C., Jubelt, B.: Expression of unique genes in subtracted amyotrophic lateral sclerosis libraries. Ann. Neurol. 1995;38:293. (Abstract).

Jubelt,B., Ropka,S.: Slow Virus Infections In: Merck Manual, 17th edition, 1997. (In press)

This profile was last updated on 09/29/2008

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