Viral Discovery
Based on our interest in emerging pathogens, we are involved in viral discovery based on molecular methods of detection such as consensus PCR and metagenomics. Being surrounded by veterinary clinicians, specialists, and clinical and anatomic pathology diagnosticians puts our laboratory in a unique situation of being able to identify enigmatic disease, and moreover, enigmatic disease likely to be viral induced. From there on, we have used consensus primer methods but mostly rely on collaboration with Eric Delwart [linked directly] at UCSF, who uses metagenomics for viral discovery. Beyond discovery, we further any novel virus identification and interrogate causation by using either epidemiologic methods or traditional pathology and molecular biology. To date, we have a collaborative record of viral discovery that includes identification and characterization of virulent FCVs and discoveries of five novel viruses: Amdovirus (fox), Kobuvirus (dog), Sappovirus (dog), Raccoon polyomavirus, and Astrovirus (bovine).
