Safder Ganaie, PhD

Division

• Laboratory & Genomic Medicine

Education

• BS and MS: University of Kashmir
• PhD: University of Kansas Medical Center

Recognition

• American Society for Virology (ASV) Travel Award, 2021
• Remi Amelunxen Micro-Kansas University Award for Outstanding Research Accomplishments, 2018

Research Statement

My research interests are focused on host-pathogen interactions that play a crucial role in virus entry, infection, and pathogenesis. Specifically, my work revolves around Bunyaviruses, a group of highly pathogenic negative-strand RNA viruses. Employing a multidisciplinary approach encompassing genetics, biochemistry, biophysics, and in-vivo model systems, my research aims to unravel the intricate mechanisms underlying bunyaviral entry pathways and the host-virus interface. In our recent studies, we have made significant strides in advancing our understanding of bunyavirus biology. Notably, we have identified LRP1 as an entry factor for Rift Valley Fever Virus and elucidated its significance in RVFV-caused liver disease. These findings have contributed to our knowledge of receptor-mediated entry of bunyaviruses and laid the groundwork for the development of therapeutics targeting multiple members of this virus group.

Selected Publications

Safder S Ganaie, Madeline M Schwarz, Cynthia M McMillen, David A Price, Annie X Feng… Sachdev S Sidhu, Herbert W Virgin, Takeshi Egawa, Daisy W Leung, Gaya K Amarasinghe, and Amy L. Hartman: LRP1 is a host entry factor for Rift Valley Fever Virus: Cell. 2021 Sep 30; 184 (20):5163-5178.e24. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.09.001. Epub 2021 Sep 23. PMID: 34559985. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34559985/

Madeline M Schwarz, David A Price*, Safder S Ganaie*, Annie Feng*, Nawneet Mishra, Ryan M. Hoehl, Farheen Fatma, Sarah H. Stubbs, Sean P.J. Whelan, Xiaoxia Cui, Takeshi Egawa, Daisy W. Leung, Gaya K. Amarasinghe, Amy L. Hartman. (*co-second authors): Oropouche orthobunyavirus infection is mediated by the cellular host factor Lrp1: Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2022 Aug 16; 119 (33):e2204706119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2204706119. Epub 2022 Aug 8. PMID: 35939689. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35939689/

Madeline M. Schwarz, Safder S. Ganaie, Annie Feng, Griffin Brown, Tenzin Yangdon, J. Michael White, Ryan M. Hoehl1, Cynthia M. McMillen, Rachael E. Rush, Kaleigh A. Connors, Xiaoxia Cui, Daisy W. Leung, Takeshi Egawa, Gaya K. Amarasinghe, Amy L. Hartman. Lrp1 is essential for lethal Rift Valley fever hepatic disease in mice: Science Advances, May, 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37450601/

Safder S Ganaie, Wei Zou, Peng Xu, Xuefeng Deng, Steve Kleiboeker, Jianming Qiu: Phosphorylated STAT5 Directly Facilitates DNA Replication of Parvovirus B19 in Human Erythroid Progenitors through interaction with the MCM complex: PLoS Pathog. 2017 May 1;13(5):e1006370. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006370. PMID: 28459842. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28459842/

Safder S Ganaie, Peng Xu, Wei Zou, Steve Kleiboeker, and Jianming Qiu:  Cellular RNA Binding Protein RBM38 Regulates pre-mRNA Processing of Human Parvovirus B19 in Human Erythroid Progenitor Cells: J Virol. 2018 Mar 28;92(8):e02050-17. doi: 10.1128/JVI.02050-17. PMID: 29437973. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29437973/

Safder S Ganaie, Absarul Haque, Erdong Cheng, Tania S. Bonny, Nilshad N. Salim, and Mohammad A Mir: Ribosomal protein S19 binding domain provides insights into hantavirus nucleocapsid protein-mediated translation initiation mechanism: Biochem J. 2014 Nov 15;464(1):109-21. doi: 10.1042/BJ20140449. PMID: 25062117. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25062117/

Nilshad N. Salim#, Safder S Ganaie#, (#Equally Contributed), Anuradha Roy, Subbia Jeeva, and Mir MA: Targeting a novel RNA-protein interaction for therapeutic intervention of Hantavirus disease: J Biol Chem. 2016 Nov 18;291(47):24702-24714. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M116.750729. Epub 2016 Oct 12. PMID: 27733686. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27733686/

Safder S Ganaie and Muhammad A. Mir: The role of viral genomic RNA and nucleocapsid protein in the autophagic clearance of hantavirus glycoprotein Gn: Virus Research. 2014; 187:72-6. PMID: 24412713. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24412713/

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Assistant
Lydia Wheat
wheat@wustl.edu