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| Dr. Tabmitha Y. Jervey, Assistant
Professor of Biology (2002). |
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1986 - 1991 Norfolk State University B. S. (Biology)
1993 - 2001 Eastern Virginia Medical School and
Old Dominion University Ph.D. (Molecular Virology)
Email: tjervey@nsu.edu
Phone: 757-823-2848 Address: Department of Biology
Norfolk State University
700 Park Avenue, WSB 300D/E
Norfolk, VA 23504
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| Research
Interests I returned to an HBCU to stimulate
students in the areas of research and writing. I wanted to
offer incentives to students often overlooked because of
lower GPAs. These students usually are not as motivated and
need the extra push. An opportunity in undergraduate
research may be the stimulation needed for student
enthusiasm and success in the sciences. In addition, I
wanted to build bridges with students by earning their trust
and respect; making myself available to listen to their
concerns; advising them on their curriculum requirements and
careers; and serving as a mentor.
My research at Norfolk State University is an extension of
my graduate thesis. Upon arrival to NSU, my immediate goal
was to establish a laboratory that facilitates the
acquisition of external funding to better understand whether
viruses utilize similar molecular mechanisms to activate
genes within the different expression phases and to train
undergraduate students in molecular virology.
Human cytomegalovirus is a large double stranded DNA virus
of the herpesvirus family and includes other viruses such as
Varicella zoster virus (causes chickenpox) and Epstein Barr
Virus (causes mononucleosis). The hallmark of herpesviruses
is their ability to remain latent in a host for life. I have
been studying the multiple regulatory controls that exist
for the differential expression evident in HCMV. Viruses
must express their gene products in sequence, first
producing proteins that will assist in the synthesis of the
nucleic acid (DNA and RNA) followed by the synthesis of
proteins that will aid in the packaging of the virus. Viral
gene expression is therefore ordered, sequential, and
divided into distinct phases: immediate early, early, and
late phase.
Large double-stranded DNA viruses such as HCMV display their
gene products in this manner. Viral promoter studies have
been undertaken to determine how genes are regulated, in
particular, the sequence requirements and the transacting
factors involved. My focus has been on an early gene in HCMV
located in the unique long region at the 98th position of
the genome (UL98). I specifically study the cis-elements and
transacting factors important in the activation of this
early gene.
My overall long-term objectives are to a) determine common
important cis-acting elements among early and late promoters
via deletion/mutational analysis of the promoter sequences
and b) to assess the common transacting factors (proteins)
that bind the early and late promoters via electrophoretic
mobility shift assays (EMSA). These studies will enable us
to break down the complex interplay between viral and
cellular factors that regulate 5’ regulatory sequences of
early and late gene expression. Identifying the important
factors for the expression of these genes will eventually
aid in the finding novel therapies to combat viral
infections at the level of DNA or protein.
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| Honors and Awards 2005
NIH Research and Infrastructure at Minority Institutions (RIMI)
Grant, NSU Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, $3.6
million, Joseph C. Hall, P. D., Steven D. Aird, Tabmitha Y.
Jervey, and Kenneth W. Hicks. |
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