Viral Diagnostic Research and Development

Rhoda Ashley Morrow PhD ; Jane Kuypers PhD

The R&D lab is a in independent lab group located in space contiguous with that of the Viral Diagnostic Laboratory at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center.   The role of the R&D lab is to develop novel, state of the art testing to aid in the diagnosis of human viral infections. The lab works closely with colleagues in the UW Molecular Virology Laboratory but emphasizes development of tests of particular utility in diagnosing and treating children.

Real-time PCR techniques using TaqMan and LightCylcer technology have been developed for RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), parainfluenza, and metapneumovirus.   Metapneumovirus is a newly described virus that is related to RSV in taxonomy and reported clinical impact in children.

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Recent Publications

Kuypers J, Wright N, Morrow R.   Evaluation of quantitative and type-specific real-time RT-PCR assays for detection of respiratory syncytial virus in respiratory specimens from children.   J Clin Virol   2004; 31:123-129.

Kuypers J, Wright N, Corey L, Morrow R.   Detection and quantification of human metapneumovirus in pediatric specimens by real-time RT-PCR.   J Clin Virology (In Press)

Englund JA, Boeckh M, Kuypers J, Nichols WG, Hackman RC, Morrow R, Fredericks DN, Corey L.   Fatal human metapneumovirus infection in stem cell transplant recipients.  JAMA (In Press)