International collaboration explores how VZV latency affects nerve cells

The collaboration between UCL and Kobe University initially started in 2015 where Dr Depledge and Dr Tomohiko Sadaoka met through a collaborative Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) project in 2015.

This initial collaboration led to an important scientific breakthrough in how to mimic VZV switching in to and out of latency. This initial research combined two pioneering techniques developed separately by Dr Sadaoka and the other by Dr Depledge, to provide new insights in to the disease mechanisms.

The success of their initial collaboration led to a further collaboration between Dr Depledge and Dr Tomohiko this year, after Dr Depledge received a small grant from the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation to support a month-long visit to Kobe University. Through the visit Dr Depledge and Dr Tomohiko aimed to explore how VZV latency affects the nerve cells in which it resides.

The data from experiments undertaken will help to inform future experimental design and will provide the foundation for a new research proposal. Furthermore the success of the visit is likely to lead to further collaboration between Dr Depledge and Dr Tomohiko in order to build upon their exisiting work in order to establish VZV treatment and prevention solutions.

Links

• Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation
• Kobe University