Laura Hertel, PhD

We study the tropism and pathogenesis of human cytomegalovirus (CMV).
Our current goals are to understand the mechanisms supporting CMV transmission from host to host and CMV spread within infected individuals. We seek to identify the cell types targeted during initial entry, and the cellular and viral proteins involved in enabling or antagonizing infection.
Education
Postdoctoral Fellow, - Molecular Virology, Stanford University
Research Associate, - Molecular Virology, Stanford University
B.Sc., - Biological Sciences, University of Torino
Ph.D, - Immunology, University of Torino


  1. Aguiar A, Galinato M, Bradley Silva M, Toth B, McVoy MA, Hertel L. Human Cytomegalovirus Replication and Infection-Induced Syncytia Formation in Labial, Foreskin, and Fetal Lung Fibroblasts. 2021. PMID: 34960624


  2. Al Qaffas A, Camiolo S, Vo M, Aguiar A, Ourahmane A, Sorono M, Davison AJ, McVoy MA, Hertel L. Genome sequences of human cytomegalovirus strain TB40/E variants propagated in fibroblasts and epithelial cells. Virology journal 2021. PMID: 34082757


  3. Al Qaffas A, Nichols J, Davison AJ, Ourahmane A, Hertel L, McVoy MA, Camiolo S. LoReTTA, a user-friendly tool for assembling viral genomes from PacBio sequence data. Virus evolution 2021. PMID: 33996146



  4. Al Qaffas A, Camiolo S, Nichols J, Davison AJ, Ourahmane A, Cui X, Schleiss MR, Hertel L, Dittmer DP, McVoy MA. Genome Sequence of Human Cytomegalovirus Ig-KG-H2, a Variant of Strain KG Propagated in the Presence of Neutralizing Antibodies. Microbiology resource announcements 2020. PMID: 32327516



  5. Galinato M, Shimoda K, Aguiar A, Hennig F, Boffelli D, McVoy MA, Hertel L. Single-Cell Transcriptome Analysis of CD34+ Stem Cell-Derived Myeloid Cells Infected With Human Cytomegalovirus. Frontiers in microbiology 2019. PMID: 30949159








  6. Lee AW, Wang N, Hornell TM, Harding JJ, Deshpande C, Hertel L, Lacaille V, Pashine A, Macaubas C, Mocarski ES, Mellins ED. Human cytomegalovirus decreases constitutive transcription of MHC class II genes in mature Langerhans cells by reducing CIITA transcript levels. Molecular immunology 2011. PMID: 21458073





  7. Jagannathan P, Osborne CM, Royce C, Manion MM, Tilton JC, Li L, Fischer S, Hallahan CW, Metcalf JA, McLaughlin M, Pipeling M, McDyer JF, Manley TJ, Meier JL, Altman JD, Hertel L, Davey RT, Connors M, Migueles SA. Comparisons of CD8+ T cells specific for human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, and cytomegalovirus reveal differences in frequency, immunodominance, phenotype, and interleukin-2 responsiveness. Journal of virology 2009. PMID: 19129459



  8. Lee AW, Hertel L, Louie RK, Burster T, Lacaille V, Pashine A, Abate DA, Mocarski ES, Mellins ED. Human cytomegalovirus alters localization of MHC class II and dendrite morphology in mature Langerhans cells. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950) 2006. PMID: 16951359


  9. Yao W, Hertel L, Wahl LM. Dynamics of recurrent viral infection. Proceedings. Biological sciences 2006. PMID: 16901839




  10. Rolle S, De Andrea M, Gioia D, Lembo D, Hertel L, Landolfo S, Gariglio M. The interferon-inducible 204 gene is transcriptionally activated by mouse cytomegalovirus and is required for its replication. Virology 2001. PMID: 11485393


  11. Hertel L, Rolle S, De Andrea M, Azzimonti B, Osello R, Gribaudo G, Gariglio M, Landolfo S. The retinoblastoma protein is an essential mediator that links the interferon-inducible 204 gene to cell-cycle regulation. Oncogene 2000. PMID: 10951565



  12. Azzimonti B, Hertel L, Aluffi P, Pia F, Monga G, Zocchi M, Landolfo S, Gariglio M. Demonstration of multiple HPV types in laryngeal premalignant lesions using polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Journal of medical virology 1999. PMID: 10440817


  13. Hertel L, De Andrea M, Bellomo G, Santoro P, Landolfo S, Gariglio M. The HMG protein T160 colocalizes with DNA replication foci and is down-regulated during cell differentiation. Experimental cell research 1999. PMID: 10413586



  14. Lembo D, Gribaudo G, Cavallo R, Riera L, Angeretti A, Hertel L, Landolfo S. Human cytomegalovirus stimulates cellular dihydrofolate reductase activity in quiescent cells. Intervirology 1999. PMID: 10393501


  15. Lembo D, Cavallo R, Cornaglia M, Mondo A, Hertel L, Angeretti A, Landolfo S. Overexpression of cellular dihydrofolate reductase abolishes the anticytomegaloviral activity of methotrexate. Archives of virology 1999. PMID: 10481745


  16. Hertel L, Foresta P, Barbiero G, Ying GG, Bonelli G, Baccino FM, Landolfo S, Gariglio M. Decreased expression of the high-mobility group protein T160 by antisense RNA impairs the growth of mouse fibroblasts. Biochimie 1997. PMID: 9523013




  17. Gandhi V, Mineishi S, Huang P, Yang Y, Chubb S, Chapman AJ, Nowak BJ, Hertel LW, Plunkett W. Difluorodeoxyguanosine: cytotoxicity, metabolism, and actions on DNA synthesis in human leukemia cells. Seminars in oncology 1995. PMID: 7481847




  18. Schmoldt A, Benthe HF, Haberland G. Digitoxin metabolism by rat liver microsomes. 1975. PMID: 10