University of Cincinnati Department of Pediatrics

Nancy M. Sawtell, PhD

Appointment

Research Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Email

nancy.sawtell@cchmc.org

Phone

513-636-7880

Fax

513-636-7655

Credentials

BA: Chemistry, Cum Laude, Case Western Reserve University 1975

PhD: Pathology and Immunology, University of Cincinnati Medical College, Cincinnati, OH, 1986.
Mentors: A.J. Pesce, PhD; J.G. Michael, PhD
Focus: Immune complex mediated glomerulonephritis

Position History

Postdoctoral Research Fellow 1986-1989
Basic Science Research
Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation
Mentor: J. L. Lessard, PhD
Focus: Cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscle development

Postdoctoral Research Assistant 1989-1992
Department of Molecular Genetics, Microbiology and Biochemistry
University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine
Mentor: R.L. Thompson, PhD
Focus: Viral pathogenesis (Herpes Simplex)

Awards and Honors

1967-1970 Flora Stone Mather, Full Tuition Scholarship
1967-1970 Education Opportunity Grant
1975 Cum Laude
1986-1989 CHRF Trustee Fellowship
1987 Vector Young Investigator Award
1993-1996 CHRF Trustee Grant
2003 Yamanouchi Foundation Investigator Award
2004 Yamanouchi Foundation Investigator Award
2005 Astellas Foundation Investigator Award

Research

Dr. Sawtell's primary research interests include animal models of disease, pathogenic mechanisms, and viral host interactions, specifically those underlying complex relationships such as herpes virus latency.

Research Grants and Contracts

NIH R01 AI 32121 "Molecular Analysis of HSV-1 Reactivation from Latency": Principal Investigator Project Period: 01/01/03-12/31/08

NIH R01 EY13168 "Ocular HSV Infection-Latency and Pathogenesis": Consortium Principal Investigator Project Period: 10/01/03-9/30/08

NIH AI 65289 "Animal Models of Human Viral Infections for Evaluation of Experimental Therapeutics": Co- Investigator

Publications, Most Recent

Thompson RL, Sawtell NM. Evidnece that he HSV-1 immediate early ICP0 protein does not initiate reactivation from the latent genome in vivo.J Virol.

Sawtell NM, Thompson RL, Haas RL. Herpes simplex virus DNA synthesis is not a decisive regulatory event in the initiation of lytic viral protein expression in neurons in vivo during primary infection or reactivation from latency.J Virol. 80(1):38-50, 2006 ("spotlighted" paper)

Sawtell NM. Detection and quantification of the rare latently infected cell undergoing herpes simplex virus transcriptional activation in the nervous system in vivo.Methods Mol Biol. 2005;292:57-72.

Sawtell NM, Thompson RL. Comparison of herpes simplex virus reactivation in ganglia in vivo and in explant demonstrates quantitative and qualitative differences.J Virol. 78:7784-7794, 2004

Thompson RL, Sawtell NM. An analysis of herpes simplex virus ICP0 promoter function in sensory neurons during acute infection, establishment of latency and reactivation in vivo.J Virol. 77:12319-30, 2003

Sawtell NM. Quantitative analysis of herpes simplex virus reactivation in vivo demonstrates that reactivation in the nervous system is not inhibited at early times post inoculation.J Virol 77:4127-4138, 2003.

Professional Organization Memberships

American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Society for Cell Biology
American Society for Microbiology
Histochemical Society
Ohio Academy of Science
Society for Pediatric Research

Teaching

Member:Training in Agents of Bioterror, PI A. Weiss

Special Interests

Molecular mechanisms of herpes virus latency and reactivation; viral persistence; pathogenesis; animal models of disease

Presentations

Sawtell NM, Thompson RL. A reactivation stimulus rapidly induces genomic region specific changes in chromatin structure of the latent HSV genome in vivo. The 28th International Herpes Virus Workshop, Madison Wisconsin, 2003. (Invited Speaker)

McGregor A, Thompson RL, Sawtell NM. Complementation of VP16 and ICP0 transactivation deficient HSV mutants by CMV pp71 homologues. The 28th International Herpes Virus Workshop, Madison Wisconsin, 2003.

McGregor A, Sawtell NM, Schleiss, MR, Thompson RL. Generation of a HCMV BAC clone from a clinical isolate that has a larger genome than current lab strains. The 28th International Herpes Virus Workshop, Madison Wisconsin, 2003.

Sawtell NM, Bloom D, Haas R, Ireland J, Bhattacharjee P, Maruyama K, Nguyen NMT, Gebhardt B, Burger E, Hill J, Thompson R. LAT and neuronal apoptosis in rabbit trigeminal ganglion neurons revisited. The 28th International Herpes Virus Workshop, Madison Wisconsin, 2003.

Chair of Symposium Session-The 29th International Herpes Virus Workshop, Reno Nevada, 2004

Invited Speaker- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, October 4, 2004

Sawtell NM., Thompson RL, Frye T. Neither neuronal CDK2 expression nor nuclear translocation of HCF are critical switch determinants of the HSV latent-lytic lycle in vivo. The 29th International Herpes Virus Workshop, Reno Nevada, 2004,. (Platform talk)

McGregor A, Thompson RL, Sawtell NM. A newly identified gene (UL48.5) may play a centrol role in HSV-1 reactivation from latency in vivo. The 29th International Herpes Virus Workshop, Reno Nevada, 2004

Thompson RL., McGregor A, Sawtell NM. The use of cosmid or BAC constructed viruses to investigate viral pathogenesis in vivo. The 29th International Herpes Virus Workshop, Reno Nevada, 2004

Invited Speaker- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, March 26, 2004 Chair Symposium Session-The 29th International Herpes Virus Workshop, Reno Nevada, 2004

Invited Speaker- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, October 4, 2004

Invited Symposium Speaker- Proceedings of Academic Pediatrics, Washington, DC., May 16, 2005

Sawtell NM, Thompson RL. The HSV-1 ICP0 protein does not initiate reactivation from latency in vivo. The 31st international Herpes Virus Workshop, Seattle Washington, 2006 (Platform talk)

Sawtell NM, Haas RL, Riddle TM, Thompson RL. Differential regulation of vp16 initiates hsv-1 reactivation from latency in vivo. The 31st international Herpes Virus Workshop, Seattle Washington, 2006 (platform talk)

Thompson RL, Sawtell NM. Postranscriptional repression of immediate early gene expression by HSV-1 LAT. The 31st international Herpes Virus Workshop, Seattle Washington, 2006 (platform talk)

Sawtell NM, Haas RL, Riddle TM, Thompson RL. Histone acetylation/deacetylation alters the balance between herpes simplex virus latency and reactivation. The Histochemical Society and The Japan Society of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, Hawaii, 2006.