Cell Biology

James E. Strong MD, Ph.D

Head of Cell Biology Section,
Special Pathogens Program
Department of Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba.

Degrees: BSc University of Calgary 1989: PhD, University of Calgary, 1996: MD, University of Calgary 1997.

Telephone: 204-789-7032        Lab: 1-204-784-5935
Fax: 1-204-789-2140
Email: Jim_strong@phac-aspc.gc.ca

Research Interests:

Includes Ebola and Marburg viruses but also many of the level IV agents such as Arena and Bunyaviruses. This group is particularly interested in how these viruses interact with the host cell’s signal transduction pathways to subvert these pathways for their own purpose of evading the antiviral systems.

Specifically, this group has demonstrated that an activated Ras signalling pathway is required for robust Ebola virus protein synthesis. They seek to better understand how elements in the Ras signalling pathway could be linked to the viral protein translation machinery including the suppression of the host cells interferon system.  In addition, the group is looking at which elements downstream of the Ras-signalling pathway are required for viral infection in hope to suppress these pathways and thereby suppress viral infection.

Included in the scope of research is the establishment of persistent infection with Ebola and Marburg viruses. These Ebola persistently-infected (pi) cells are resistant to superinfection with the Ebola, but not Marburg virus. These pi cells have been passaged for over 2 years now and are still producing viable virus, with similar phenotype of wild-type Ebola. Stressing these pi cells results in enhanced viral protein synthesis, enhanced cytopathic effect, and increased titre output from these stressed pi-cells. The enhanced viral infection also appears to result from the activation of the Ras pathway and may be linked to its suppression of interferon signalling.

This group has also been involved in outbreak response including a minor role in the Toronto SARS outbreak but also more actively in the recent outbreak of Marburg virus in Uige, Angola. The latter included Dr. Jim Strong’s role as team leader providing field laboratory diagnostic support as a member of WHO and Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN).

Publications:

1. Grolla A, Lucht A, Dick D, Strong JE, Feldmann H. Laboratory Diagnosis of Ebola and Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever. Bulletin of the Société de pathologie exotique. 2005 – Accepted.

2. Lee BE, Chawla R, Langley JM, Forgie S, Al-Hosni M, Baerg K, Hussein E, Strong JE, Law B, Robinson JL, Upton A, Law B, Dobson S, and Davies D.  Paediatric Investigators Collaborative Network on Infections in Canada (PICNIC) Study of Aseptic Meningitis. Submitted – Journal of Pediatrics. June, 2005.

3. Stroher U, DiCaro A, Li Y, Strong JE, Aoki F, Plummer F, Jones SM, Feldmann H. SARS-related Coronavirus is Inhibited by Interferon-Alpha. Journal of Infectious Disease. 2004 Apr 1;189(7):1164-7.

4. Norman KL, Coffey MC, Hirasawa K, Demetrick DJ, Nishikawa SG, DiFrancesco LM, Strong JE, Lee PWK. (2002). Reovirus oncolysis of human breast cancer. Human Gene Therapy. Mar 20; 13(5): 641-652.

5. Coffey, MC, Strong, JE, Forsyth, P and Lee, PWK. (1998). Reovirus Therapy of Tumors with Activated Ras pathway. Science 282(5392):1332-1334.

6. Strong, JE, Coffey, MC, Tang, D, Sabinin, P and Lee PWK. (1998). The molecular basis of viral oncolysis: usurpation of the ras signalling pathway by reovirus.  EMBO Journal. 17: 3351-3362.

7. Strong, J, and Zochodne D. (1997).  Seronegative Myasthenia Gravis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection: Response to Intravenous Gamma Globulin and Prednisone.  Canadian Journal of Neurological Science. 25: 254-256.

8. Strong JE and Lee PWK. (1996). The v-erbB oncogene confers enhanced cellular susceptibility to reovirus infection. Journal of Virology. 70: 612-616.

9. Tang, D, Strong, JE and  Lee, PWK. (1993). Recognition of the epidermal growth factor receptor by reovirus.  Virology 197: 412-414

10. Strong, JE, Tang, D, and Lee, PWK. (1993). Evidence that the epidermal growth factor receptor on host cells confers reovirus infection efficiency.  Virology 197: 405-411.

11. Strong, JE, Leone, G, Duncan, R, Sharma, RK, and Lee, PWK. (1991). Biochemical and biophysical characterization of the reovirus cell attachment protein  s1: Evidence that it is a homotrimer. Virology 184: 23-32.

12. Duncan, R, Horne, D, Strong, JE, Leone, G, Pon, RT, Yeung, MC, and Lee, PWK.  (1991). Conformational and functional analysis of the C-terminal globular head of the reovirus cell attachment protein. Virology 182: 810-819.

Book Chapters:

1. JAMES E. STRONG, ALLEN GROLLA, PETER B. JAHRLING AND HEINZ FELDMANN FILOVIRUSES AND ARENAVIRUSES. Submitted for the MANUAL OF CLINICAL LABORATORY IMMUNOLOGY, 7TH EDITION. 2005.