Department of Microbiology & Immunology

Faculty of Medicine

Jennifer Corcoran

Assistant Professor

 

Related information:

  • Cross appointee - Department of Surgery
Department of Microbiology & Immunology

Email: jcorcora@dal.ca
Phone: 902-494-6296
Fax: 902-494-5125
Mailing Address: 
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Dalhousie University
Sir Charles Tupper Medical Building, Room 10-A5,
5850 College Street
PO Box 15000
Halifax Nova Scotia Canada B3H 4R2
 
Research Topics:
  • Virology
  • Cancer Biology
  • Inflammation
  • Actin Cytoskeleton
  • Endothelial Cells
  • Kaposi’s Sarcoma
  • RNA Granules
  • Cell Migration

 

Education

BSc, Dalhousie University
PhD, Dalhousie University
Postdoctoral Training, University of Alberta
Postdoctoral Training, Dalhousie University

Research interests

Ten to fifteen percent of all human cancers are caused by viruses; yet the precise mechanisms of viral oncogenesis remain poorly understood. We study how the virus, Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) uses specific virally-encoded oncoproteins to deregulate normal endothelial cells and cause the cancer, Kaposi’s Sarcoma (KS).

Selected publications

  • Corcoran, J.A., B. P. Johnston, and C. McCormick. 2014. Viral activation of MK2-hsp27-p115RhoGEF-RhoA signaling axis causes cytoskeletal rearrangements, p-body disruption and ARE-mRNA stabilization. PLOS Pathogens. In Press.
  • Corcoran, J.A., D. Khaperskyy, B. P. Johnston, C.A. King, D.P. Cyr, A.V. Olsthoorn, and C. McCormick. 2012. Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus G-protein coupled receptor prevents AU-rich element-mediated decay. J. Virol. 86(16): 8859-8871.
  • Corcoran, J. A., D. A. Khaperskyy, and C. McCormick. 2011. Assays for monitoring viral manipulation of host ARE-mRNA turnover. Methods 55(2): 172-181.
  • Corcoran, J. A., H. A. Saffran, B. A. Duguay and J. R. Smiley. 2009. Herpes simplex virus UL12.5 targets mitochondria through a mitochondrial localization sequence proximal to the N-terminus. J. Virol. 83:2601-10.

Selected awards and honours

  • 2011 Poster Presentation First Place Award, The BHCRI 3rd Annual Cancer Research Conference
  • 2011-12 Cancer Research Training Program, Postdoctoral Fellowship (Rank in Competition – 1st)
  • 2011 Best Oral Presentation, ID Research Day/Canadian Center for Vaccinology
  • 2010-2011 Cancer Research Training Program, Postdoctoral Fellowship
  • 2007-2010 Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation, Postdoctoral Fellowship