Laura Gibson
A5077905008- SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
- Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
- Biosensors and Analytical Detection
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Parvovirus B19 Infection Studies
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- Toxoplasma gondii Research Studies
- HIV Research and Treatment
- COVID-19 diagnosis using AI
- Biomedical and Engineering Education
- Viral-associated cancers and disorders
- Neonatal Health and Biochemistry
- COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- Respiratory viral infections research
- Hepatitis B Virus Studies
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Disaster Response and Management
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Lysosomal Storage Disorders Research
- Polyomavirus and related diseases
- Mycobacterium research and diagnosis
- Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques
- Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
2013-2024
UMass Memorial Medical Center
2020-2022
UMass Memorial Health Care
2020-2022
University of London
2021
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
2021
University of Sierra Leone
2021
Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority
2018
Conceptual Mindworks (United States)
2016-2017
Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science
2013
Pediatrics and Genetics
2004
Serial screening is critical for restricting spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by facilitating timely identification infected individuals to interrupt transmission. Variation in sensitivity different diagnostic tests at stages infection has not been well documented.In a longitudinal study 43 adults newly with SARS-CoV-2, all provided daily saliva and nasal swabs quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), Quidel SARS Sofia...
ABSTRACT The global evolution of SARS-CoV-2 depends in part upon the evolutionary dynamics within individual hosts with varying immune histories. To characterize within-host acute infection, we sequenced saliva and nasal samples collected daily from vaccinated unvaccinated individuals early during infection. We show that longitudinal sampling facilitates high-confidence genetic variant detection reveals missed by less-frequent strategies. Within-host both appeared largely stochastic;...
Research has shown that RNA virus populations are highly variable, most likely due to low fidelity replication of genomes. It is generally assumed DNA viruses will be less complex and show reduced variability when compared viruses. Here, we describe the use high throughput sequencing for a genome wide study viral from urine samples neonates with congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infections. We HCMV intrahost genomic variability, both at nucleotide amino acid level, comparable many...
Significance Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the leading cause of birth defects associated with infections and a transplantation failure. This study reveals patterns limits HCMV genomic diversity by performing large-scale analysis sequences sampled from human hosts, identifying hot cold spots variability. We find that unevenly distributed across three host compartments show populations vascular are genetically constrained while enriched for polymorphisms glycoproteins regulatory proteins....
Abstract Background The global effort to vaccinate people against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during an ongoing pandemic has raised questions about how vaccine breakthrough infections compare with in immunologically naive individuals and the potential for vaccinated transmit virus. Methods We examined viral dynamics infectious virus shedding through daily longitudinal sampling 23 adults infected SARS-CoV-2 at varying stages of vaccination, including 6 fully...
It is important to document the performance of rapid antigen tests (Ag-RDTs) in detecting SARS-CoV-2 variants.To compare Ag-RDTs Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529) variants SARS-CoV-2.Secondary analysis a prospective cohort study that enrolled participants between 18 October 2021 24 January 2022. Participants did collected samples for reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing every 48 hours 15 days.The parent throughout mainland United States through digital...
The performance of rapid antigen tests (Ag-RDTs) for screening asymptomatic and symptomatic persons SARS-CoV-2 is not well established.To evaluate the Ag-RDTs detection among participants.This prospective cohort study enrolled participants between October 2021 January 2022. Participants completed reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing every 48 hours 15 days.Participants were digitally throughout mainland United States. They self-collected anterior nasal swabs RT-PCR...
Neutropenia may limit the use of valganciclovir treatment for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection following hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT). A phase 2 study indicated efficacy maribavir with fewer treatment-limiting toxicities than valganciclovir.
ClinicalTrials.gov [NCT02378753] and Pan African Clinical Trials Registry [PACTR201502001037220].
In October 2014, the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences University Sierra Leone, Leone Ministry Sanitation, CDC joined global effort to accelerate assessment availability candidate Ebola vaccines began planning for Trial Introduce a Vaccine against (STRIVE). STRIVE was an individually randomized controlled phase II/III trial evaluate efficacy, immunogenicity, safety recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus vaccine (rVSV-ZEBOV). The study population health care frontline workers in...
To determine the positivity rate of congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) testing among universal, hearing-targeted CMV (HT-cCMV) and delayed targeted dried blood spot (DBS) newborn screening programs, to examine characteristics successful HT-cCMV programs.
Abstract Recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara- and peptide-based IFN-γ ELISPOT assays were used to detect measure human CMV (HCMV)-specific CD8+ T cell responses the pp65 (UL83) immediate early protein 1 (IE1; UL123) gene products in 16 HCMV-infected infants children. Age at study ranged from birth 2 years. HCMV-specific cells detected 14 (88%) of children frequencies ranging 60 >2000 spots/million PBMC. Responses as day age with documented congenital infection. Nine responded both...
Following primary infection, human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) establishes a persistent infection for life. HHV-6 reactivation has been associated with transplant rejection, delayed engraftment, encephalitis, muscular dystrophy, and drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome. The poor understanding of the targets outcome cellular immune response to makes it difficult outline role in disease. To fill this gap, we characterized CD4 T cell responses using peripheral blood mononuclear (PBMC) lines...
ABSTRACT The global effort to vaccinate people against SARS-CoV-2 in the midst of an ongoing pandemic has raised questions about nature vaccine breakthrough infections and potential for vaccinated individuals transmit virus. These have become even more urgent as new variants concern with enhanced transmissibility, such Delta, continue emerge. To shed light on how compare immunologically naive individuals, we examined viral dynamics infectious virus shedding through daily longitudinal...
ABSTRACT The dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 replication and shedding in humans remain poorly understood. We captured the infectious virus viral RNA during acute infection through daily longitudinal sampling 60 individuals for up to 14 days. By fitting mechanistic models, we directly estimate reproduction clearance rates, overall infectiousness each individual. Significant person-to-person variation suggests that individual-level heterogeneity contributes superspreading. Viral genome load often...
Abstract Early potent combination antiretroviral therapies (ART) for HIV-1 infection can preserve or restore immune function, but control of viral replication early in may interfere with the development HIV-1-specific responses. Using an IFN-γ ELISPOT assay, we evaluated breadth and intensity CD8+ T cell responses 17 vertically infected infants who began ART at 1–23 mo age. CMV-specific were also characterized three coinfected CMV. Before ART, detected two 13 (15%) <6 cells became...
COVID-19 has brought unprecedented attention to the crucial role of diagnostics in pandemic control. We compared severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) test performance by sample type and modality close contacts SARS-CoV-2 cases. Close SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals were enrolled after informed consent. Clinician-collected nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs viral transport media (VTM) tested with a routine clinical reference nucleic acid (NAT) PerkinElmer real-time reverse...
There is a need to understand the performance of rapid antigen tests (Ag-RDT) for detection Delta (B.1.61.7; AY.X) and Omicron (B.1.1.529; BA1) SARS-CoV-2 variants.Participants without any symptoms were enrolled from October 18, 2021 January 24, 2022 performed Ag-RDT RT-PCR every 48 hours 15 days. This study represents non-pre-specified analysis in which we sought determine if sensitivity differed participants with compared variant. Participants who positive on first day testing period...