Rachel L. Roper

Professor

BS, Texas A&M University
MS, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry
PhD, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry

Phone: 252-744-2708
Fax: 252-744-3104
Email: roperr@ecu.edu

Research

My research laboratory focuses on viral pathogens, mechanisms of virulence (how viruses cause disease) and how viruses can be designed to create improved vaccines against numerous diseases, including cancer, COVID-19 coronaviruses (SARS), and emerging poxvirus threats. The vaccinia virus poxvirus vaccine is administered to all U.S. military personnel for protection against smallpox and monkeypox viruses, Category A biological disease agents identified by the U.S. Government as bioterrorism/biowarfare threats. Recombinant vaccinia is also widely used as the wildlife rabies vaccine in the U.S. and in cancer treatment trials. However, the use of these vaccines is limited by the virulence of these poxvirus vectors in humans. We sequenced the first North American poxvirus, raccoonpox, a new evolutionary branch distinct from Orthopoxviruses, and showed that it is extremely attenuated even in immunocompromised and pregnant mammals, suggesting it will be a very safe vaccine vector. To study how viruses cause disease and to create safer vaccines, we have used bioinformatic genome analysis to identify previously uncharacterized virulence genes (such as A35). We have shown that A35 acts by inhibiting the mammalian immune system, thus allowing the viruses to replicate and spread prior to control by the immune response. We are currently exploring the biochemical mechanisms of action of these immunoregulatory proteins and are using this information to design safer and more effective platform vaccines for pathogens and for cancer treatment (Patent No 8202521). If we can discover how these proteins act, we may be able to create anti-viral drugs to inhibit the functions, and it may be possible to mimic these immunomodulatory functions in order to control deleterious immune responses in human and animal organ transplantation or autoimmunity. We have also analyzed the effects of dietary supplements and viral co-infection on viral replication and disease severity.

My lab is also studying the effects of gender bias on women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and other male-majority disciplines (e.g. construction).  Because most in STEM are unaware of these data, I wrote a review article, which was published by the American Society for Microbiology. I have received numerous speaking invitations at National and International science conferences, and universities.  We also work on the progress of women in faculty representation, conference leadership, editorial board memberships, and NIH study sections.

Selected Publications

RL Roper*, A Garzino-Demo, C Del Rio, C Bréchot, R Gallo, W Hall, J Esparza, M Reitz, RF Schinazi, M Parrington, J Tartaglia, M Koopmans, J Osorio, A Nitsche, TB Huan, J LeDuc, A Gessain, S Weaver, S Mahalingam, A Abimiku, A Vahlne, J Segales, L Wang, S Isaacs, A Osterhaus, RH Scheuermann, G McFadden. Monkeypox (mpox) Requires Continued Surveillance, Vaccines, Therapeutics and Mitigating Strategies, April 2023, Vaccine.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X23003936

Colin J. McInnes, Inger K. Damon, Geoffrey L. Smith, Grant McFadden, Stuart N. Isaacs, Rachel L. Roper, David Evans, Clarissa Damasso, Olivia Carulei, Lyn Wise and Elliot Lefkowitz. Family Poxviridae. ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Poxviridae 2022, Journal of General Virology , in press.
www.ictv.global/report/poxviridae

News article on COVID detection in air from HVAC systems

S Sousan, M Fan, K Outlaw, S Williams, and RL Roper. SARS-CoV-2 Detection in Air Samples from Inside Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems- COVID Surveillance in Student Dorms. American Journal of Infection Control, 2022.    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019665532100674X?dgcid=author 

Interview with Dr. Roper on her Research

Coronavirus Podcast Interview 06/2020

Coronavirus Podcast Interview 08/2020

CS Lea, K Simeonsson, A Kipp, C McNeill, L Wilcox, H Morris, O Diaz, J Fallon, RL Roper. Waning of SARS-CoV-2 Seropositivity among Healthy Young Adults over Seven Months. Vaccines 10:1532, 2022.  https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/10/9/1532/htm

Roper, R.L. 2021. The H-Index in Medicine and Science: Does it Favor H-im or H-er?
Successes and Hurdles for Women Faculty Digestive Diseases and Sciences. Springer https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10620-020-06793-3

RA Jiwani, Y Mao, A Pona; E Bradner, J Hussain, P Cook, A Burch, F Afriyie, J Labbe, A Younes, M Badr, E Lee, and RL Roper. Discontinuation of Transmission Precautions for COVID-19 Patients: PCR Diagnostics, Patient Delays, and Cycle Threshold Values. Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice, https://journals.lww.com/infectdis/Abstract/9000/Discontinuation_of_Transmission_Precautions_for.98686.aspx

AV White, Ming Fan, RL Roper*, SL Richards*. 2020. Mosquito-Infecting Virus Espirito Santo Virus Inhibits Replication and Spread of Dengue Virus. Journal of Medical Virology, Nov 20 PMID: 33219544 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26686

Roper RL. Does Gender Bias Still Affect Women in Science? American Society for Microbiology Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 2019 Aug 21;83(3). doi: 10.1128/MMBR.00018-19. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10620-020-06793-3

Roper, RL*. Simple, Rapid Preparation of Poxvirus DNA for PCR Cloning and Analysis Method Mol Biol (2019) 2023:63-71. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9593-6_3.

HP Ahsendorf, LL Gan, KH Eltom,  AA El Wahed, SK Hotop, RL Roper, U Beutling, M Broenstrup, C Stahl-Hennig, LE Hoelzle, C-P Czerny.  Species-Specific Conservation of Linear Antigenic Sites on Vaccinia Virus A27 Protein Homologs of Orthopoxviruses. Viruses 2019, 11, 493.    doi.org/10.3390/v11060493.

White M, Freistaedter A, Jones GJB, Zervos E, Roper RL. Development of improved therapeutic mesothelin-based vaccines for pancreatic cancer. PLoS One. 2018 Feb 23;13(2):e0193131. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193131. eCollection 2018. PubMed PMID: 29474384.

G. Jones, R. L.Roper. The effects of diets enriched in n-6, and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on vaccinia virus infection in mice. Scientific Reports, 2017, 7:15999. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-16098-7

Roper RL. Poxvirus Safety Analysis in the Pregnant Mouse Model, Vaccinia, and Raccoonpox Viruses. Methods Mol Biol. 2017;1581:121. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6869-5_7.

E. Zervos, S. Agle, A. G. Freistaedter, G.J.B. Jones, R. L. Roper. Murine Mesothelin: Characterization, Expression, and Analysis of Growth and Tumorigenic Effects in a Murine Model of Pancreatic Cancer. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research. 2016. 35:39. doi 10.1186/s13046-016-0314-2.

R. L. Roper. Methods and Compositions for Poxvirus A35R Protein. U.S. patent issued 05/12/2015 No 9028837.

Clare Fleischauer, Chris Upton, Joseph Victoria, Gwendolyn JB Jones and R. L. Roper. 2015. Genome Sequence and Comparative Virulence of Raccoonpox Virus: The First North American Poxvirus Sequence. J Gen Virol, 96:2806-2821.

Gwendolyn JB Jones, Corey Boles, and Rachel L. Roper. Raccoonpox virus Safety in Immunocompromised and Pregnant Mouse Models. Vaccine, 2014 Jun 30;32(31):3977-81. doi: 10.1016/j. PMID: 24837508

Roper, R. L. 2012. “Antigen Presentation Assays to Investigate Uncharacterized Immunoregulatory Genes” in Methods in Molecular Biology, Springer, S. Isaacs Ed. 890:259-71. PMID: 22688772

R. L. Roper. Methods and compositions for poxvirus A35R protein. U.S. patent issued 06/19/2012 Patent No 8202521.

Plummer; H Feldmann; S Jones; Y Li; N Bastien; R Brunham; A Brooks-Wilson; R Holt; C Upton; R Roper; C Astell; S Jones; “SARS virus nucleotide and amino acid sequences and uses thereof” US Patent 7897744, Issued March 1, 2011.

K. E. Rehm and R. L. Roper. 2011. Deletion of the A35 gene from Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara Increases Immunogenicity and Isotype Switching. Vaccine, 29: 3276-3283. PMID: 21352940

K. E. Rehm, R. F. Connor, G. J. B. Jones, K. Yimbu, and R. L. Roper. 2010. Vaccinia Virus A35R Inhibits MHC Class II Antigen Presentation. Virol.397:176-186. PMID: 19954808

Roper, R.L. and K.E. Rehm. SARS Vaccines: Where are we? Expert Reviews of Vaccines. 2009 8(7):887-898 July. PMID: 19538115

K. E. Rehm, G. J. B. Jones, A. A. Tripp, M. W. Metcalf, and R. L. Roper. 2010. The Poxvirus A35 Protein is an Immunoregulator, J. Virol, 84(1):418-425. PMID: 19828608

K. E. Rehm, R. F. Connor, G. J. B. Jones, K. Yimbu, M. D. Mannie, R. L. Roper. Vaccinia virus decreases MHC class II antigen presentation, T cell priming, and peptide association with MHC class II. 2009. Immunol., 128: 381-392. PMID: 20067538

R.H. See, M. Petric, D.J. Lawrence, C.P.Y. Mok, T. Rowe, L.A. Zitzow, K.P. Karunakaran, T.G. Voss, J. Gauldie, R.C. Brunham, B.B. Finlay, and R.L. Roper. 2008. SARS Vaccine Efficacy in Ferrets: Whole Killed Virus And Adenovirus-Vectored Vaccines. J. Gen. Virol. Sept, 89:2136-2146

J. D. Osborne, M. Da Silva, A. M. Frace, S. A. Sammons, M. Olsen-Ramussen, C. Upton, R. M. L. Buller, N. Chen, Z. Feng, R. L. Roper, J. Liu, K. V Pougatcheva, W. Chen, R. Wohlhueter, J. J. Esposito. 2007. Genomic differences of Vaccinia virus clones from Dryvax® smallpox vaccine: the Dryvax-like Acam2000 and the mouse neurovirulent clone-3. Vaccine. PMID: 18037545

R.F. Connor and R L. Roper. 2007. Unique SARS Virulence Protein nsp1; Bioinformatics and Biochemistry. Trends in Microbiology. 15(2):51-53. PMID: 17207625

Roper, R. L. 2006. Characterization of the Vaccinia Virus A35R Protein and its Role in Virulence. J. Virol. Jan, 80: 306-313. PMID: 16352555

Raymond H. See, Alexander N. Zakhartchouk, Martin Petric, David J. Lawrence, Catherine P.Y. Mok, Robert J. Hogan, Thomas Rowe, Lois A. Zitzow, Karuna P. Karunakaran, Mary M. Hitt, Frank L. Graham, Ludvik Prevec, James B. Mahony, Aubrey J. Tingle, David W. Scheifele, Danuta M. Skowronski, David M. Patrick, Lorne A. Babiuk, Jack Gauldie, Thomas G. Voss, Rachel L. Roper, Robert C. Brunham, and B. Brett Finlay. 2006. Comparative Evaluation of Two SARS Vaccine Candidates in Mice Challenged with SARS-Coronavirus J. Gen Virol. March 87:641-50. PMID: 16476986

R. Draker, R. L. Roper, M. Petric and R. Tellier. 2006. The complete sequence of the bovine torovirus genome. Virus Research, Jan;115(1):56-68.PMID: 16137782

R. H. See, R. L. Roper, R. C. Brunham and B.B. Finlay. 2005. Rapid Response Research – SARS Coronavirus Vaccines and Application of Processes to Other Emerging Infectious Diseases. Current Immunology Reviews. 1:185-200, June.

N. Chen, G. Li, M. K. Liszewski, J. Atkinson, P. Jarhling, Z. Feng, J. Schriewer, C. Buck, C. Wang, E. J. Lefkowitz, J. J. Esposito, T. Harms, I. K. Damon, R. L. Roper, C. Upton, and R. M. L. Buller. 2005. Virulence differences between monkeypox virus isolates from West Africa and the Congo basin. Virology. 340;46-63, July. PMID: 16023693

Li, G., N. Chen, R. L. Roper, Z. Feng, A. Hunter, M. Danila, C. Upton and R. M. L. Buller. 2005. Complete Coding Sequences of the Rabbitpox Virus Genome. J. Gen. Vir; 86:2969-77.) PMID: 16227218

D. M. Skowronski, C. Astell, R. C. Brunham, D. E. Low, M. Petric, R. L. Roper, P. J. Talbot, T. Tam, L. Babiuk. 2005. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS): A Year in Review. Annual Review of Medicine, 56:357-381. PMID: 15660517

R. Brodie, R.L. Roper, A.J. Smith, V. Tcherepanov,and C. Upton. 2004. Base-By-Base: Single nucleotide-level analysis of whole viral genome alignments. BMC Bioinformatics. 5:96. PMID: 15253776

Roper, R. L. ³Rapid Preparation of Vaccinia Virus DNA Template for Analysis and Cloning by PCR² in Methods in Molecular Biology, S. Isaacs Ed. 2004. 269:113-8. PMID: 15114011

M. A. Marra, S. J. M. Jones, C. R. Astell, R. A. Holt , A. Brooks-Wilson, Y. S. N. Butterfield , J. Khattra, J. K. Asano, S. A. Barber, S. Y. Chan, A. Cloutier, S. M. Coughlin, D. Freeman, N. Girn, O., L. Griffith, S. R. Leach, M. Mayo, H. McDonald, S. B. Montgomery, P. K. Pandoh, A. S. Petrescu, A. G. Robertson, J. E. Schein, A. Siddiqui, D. E. Smailus, J. M. Stott, G. S. Yang, F. Plummer, A. Andonov, H. Artsob,N. Bastien, K. Bernard, T. F. Booth, D. Bowness, M. Drebot, L. Fernando, R. Flick, M. Garbutt, M. Gray, A. Grolla, S. Jones, H. Feldmann, A. Meyers, A. Kabani, Y. Li, S. Normand, U. Stroher, G. A. Tipples, S. Tyler, R. Vogrig, D. Ward, B. Watson, R., C. Brunham, M. Krajden, M. Petric, D. M. Skowronski, C. Upton, R. L. Roper. 2003. The Genome Sequence of the SARS-Associated Coronavirus. Science. 300(5624):1399-404. PMID: 12730501

Upton C, Slack S, Hunter AL, Ehlers A, Roper R.L. Poxvirus Orthologous Clusters: Toward Defining the Minimum Essential Poxvirus Genome. Journal of Virology. 2003 Jul; 77(13):7590-600. PMID: 12805459

Brodie, R, R. L. Roper, and C. Upton. 2004 JDotter: A Java Interface to Multiple DotPlots Generated by Dotter. Bioinformatics. 20:279-281. PMID: 14734323

View Dr. Roper’s Bibliography

Staff

	Name	Title	Location	Phone
	Fan, Ming, PhD	Research Specialist	Brody 5N-128	252-744-2731
	Bradner, Evan	Medical Student - Research	Brody 5N-128	252-744-2712

Roper Lab 2015