• PhD Biochemistry, University of London 1984
• BSc Biochemistry, University of London 1980

Using modern molecular, cellular and bioimaging techniques to understand the molecular pathogenesis of disease, with particular interests in innate imume response during infection. I am interested in the way viruses evade host innate immune responses through interaction of viral proteins with cellular signal transduction pathways. The cell’s first response to viral infection is to produce interferon and cytokines to reduce viral replication and/or eliminate the infected cell by apoptosis. The central regulators that lead to production of cytokines and interferons are transcription factors, such as NF-kB and interferon response factors (IRFs). Viruses encode proteins that block these pathways, enabling them to survive and persist in the host cell. I am investigating virus-host protein interactions using
biological assays for cytokines, protein-protein interactions by pull down co-binding assays and mass spectrometry analysis, and bioimaging to recognize intracellular interactions and rearrangements.
This research will be useful to design new anti-viral drugs and make vaccines.
 

Selected publications

1. Doceul, V., Charleston, B., Crooke, H., Reid E., Powell P.P.  and  Seago, J. (2008) The N^pro product of classical swine fever virus interacts with IκBα, the NF-κB inhibitor.  J. Gen Virol 89: 1881-1889
2. Tennant, L. M., Renard, C., Chardon P. and Powell, P. P. (2007). Regulation of porcine classical and non-classical MHC Class I expression. Immunogenetics. 59:377-389. Epub 2007 Mar 10.
3. La Rocca, S. A., Herbert, R. J., Crooke H., Drew, T. W., Wileman, T. E., and Powell, P. P. (2005).  Loss of interferon regulatory factor 3 in cells infected with classical swine fever virus involves the N-terminal protease N^pro.  J. Virol. 79: 7239-7247
4. Bensaude, E., Turner, J. E, Wakeley, P. R., Sweetman, D. A., Pardieu, C., Drew, T. W,. Wileman T. E. and Powell, P. P. (2004).  Classical swine fever virus activates proinflammatory cytokines and tissue factors and inhibits apoptosis and interferon synthesis during the establishment of long term infection of porcine vascular endothelial cells.   J Gen Virol ; 85: 1029-1037
5. Vallee, I., Tait, S. W. G., and Powell, P. P.  (2001).  African swine fever virus infection of porcine aortic endothelial cells leads to inhibition of inflammatory responses, activation of the thrombotic state and apoptosis. J. Virol. 75: 10372-10382
6. Tait S. W. G, Reid, E. B., Greaves, D. R., Wileman, T. E. and Powell, P. P. (2000)  Mechanism of inactivation of NF-kB by a viral homologue of I-kB-a: Signal induced release of I-kB-a: results in binding of the viral homologue to NF-kB.   J. Biol. Chem. 275: 34656-34664