Restriction Factor - Gisele Umviligihozo
Gisele Umviligihozo: Virology PhD student at Simon Fraser University, Fellow of the sub-Saharan African Network for TB/HIV Research Excellence (SANTHE), Queen Elizabeth II Scholar, IAVI-VISTA scholar, and Fogarty Fellow.
Her Research: I study Vpu (viral protein U), a small protein unique to HIV-1 important for its role during HIV infection. Vpu decreases CD4 protein from the surface of HIV infected cells and inhibits the activity of the immune response protein called tetherin. CD4 helps the immune system to recognize HIV infected cells and reduces the capacity of viruses to establish new infections; while tetherin stops newly formed viruses from exiting the infected cells preventing infection of more human cells. By targeting these two proteins Vpu helps HIV infection to hide from the immune response and to spread rapidly in the body.
Although HIV is a global disease, viruses that are predominant in the different parts of the world differ, HIV in Southern Africa is slightly but considerably different from HIV in East Africa or North America. The most common HIV-1 infections are classified in ten different subtypes. I’m studying the role of Vpu in four major subtypes of HIV-1 that are A, B, C and D using viruses from Rwanda, Canada, South Africa, and Uganda. The goal of my work is to understand the importance of the genetic differences in Vpu proteins on the severity of HIV-1 infection and/or its spread.
Her Heroes:
My family: I grew up in a family that believed in girls’ ability to perform and to excel in various activities as well as boys do! My parents made no distinction between me and my brothers, instead they collectively aspired us to attain our full potential. My family always supported my choices, encouraged me and guided me. Since my childhood, I was taught the importance of work ethic, to be organized and to work towards clear goals, to respect others, to be grateful and appreciative of life. These important values made me who I am, and I believe that they principally helped me to successfully navigate the complexity of the science world.
Professor Thumbi Ndung’u: “For the past two decades, the idea of doing world-class black-lead biomedical research in Africa was too ambitious. There were few black scientists who had done important research or had the experience to lead this kind of research in Africa. Through his passion and dedication to develop African science, Prof Thumbi Ndung’u has set a great example. He is a strong mentor and someone I look-up in the field of virology. His stature on the world stage as an African researcher means a lot to me as an early career African virologist. I’m inspired by his work, and his achievements make me believe that if we work hard enough, we may be able to create solutions and provide answers adapted to where we live as Africans.“
Her Top Tip: Doing science is challenging, take one step at a time and be nice to yourself especially when things are not working! Celebrate small victories, it keeps your momentum and passion alive.
How she’s ranks what’s most important to succeed in science: Curiosity is first, then creativity, hard work and communication,
What else do you need? Tenacity, resilience and perseverance
Superpowers! Great organizational skills, the ability to plan and to perform RNA/DNA extraction, PCR and Virus cloning. Good record keeping.
Scientific Strengths: The ability to develop good scientific posters and presentations, excellent communication skills, collaborations and teamwork.
The restriction Factor (RF) name: Human’s cells, like other mammalian cells, have evolved several mechanisms to prevent or block lentiviral infection and spread. RFs are dominant proteins that target different essential steps of the viral cycle, thereby providing an early line of defense against the virus. The presence of RFs drove viral evolution, forcing the virus to develop specific proteins to counteract their activity. The knowledge of the mechanisms that prevent viral infection and their viral counterparts may offer new insights to improve current antiviral strategies.
Outside of the lab: Love flowers, listening to music and dancing. I enjoy outdoor activities and laughing loud.
Connect: Twitter @elgizu1
In isiZulu
UGisele Umviligihozo: Umfundi we-Virology PhD e-Simon Fraser University, Fellow of the sub-Saharan African Network for TB/HIV Research Excellence (SANTHE), Queen Elizabeth II Scholar, IAVI-VISTA isazi, kanye noFogarty Fellow.
Ucwaningo Lwakhe: Ngifunda i-Vpu (viral protein U), iphrotheni encane ehlukile ku-HIV-1 ebalulekile endimeni yayo ngesikhathi sokutheleleka nge-HIV. I-Vpu inciphisa amaprotheni e-CD4 ebusweni bamaseli atheleleke nge-HIV futhi ivimbele ukusebenza kweprotheni yokusabela komzimba ebizwa ngokuthi i-tetherin. I-CD4 isiza amasosha omzimba ukuthi abone amangqamuzana atheleleke nge-HIV futhi anciphise amandla amagciwane ukuze asungule izifo ezintsha; kuyilapho i-tetherin imisa amagciwane asanda kwakheka ukuthi aphume kumaseli anegciwane avimbele ukutheleleka kwamangqamuzana amaningi abantu. Ngokukhomba lawa maphrotheni amabili i-Vpu isiza ukutheleleka nge-HIV ukuthi kucashe ekuphenduleni kwamasosha omzimba futhi kusakazeke ngokushesha emzimbeni.
Nakuba i-HIV iyisifo somhlaba wonke, amagciwane adlangile ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene zomhlaba ayahluka, i-HIV eNingizimu Afrika ihluke kakhulu kuyi-HIV eMpumalanga Afrika noma eNyakatho Melika. Izifo ezivame kakhulu ze-HIV-1 zihlukaniswa ngezinhlobo eziyishumi ezihlukene. Ngifunda indima ye-Vpu ezinhlotsheni ezine ezinkulu ze-HIV-1 okungu-A, B, C no-D ngisebenzisa amagciwane avela eRwanda, eCanada, eNingizimu Afrika nase-Uganda. Umgomo womsebenzi wami uwukuqonda ukubaluleka komehluko wofuzo kumaprotheni e-Vpu ngobukhulu bokutheleleka nge-HIV-1 kanye/noma ukusabalala kwayo.
Sibonga ngokukhethekile kuDkt Stanley Opella kanye no-Sang Park base-UC San Diego ngokusebenzisa ukwakheka kwamaprotheni e-Vpu!
Amaqhawe Akhe:
Umndeni wakithi: Ngakhulela emndenini owawukholelwa emandleni amantombazane okwenza kahle futhi aphumelele emisebenzini ehlukahlukene njengoba kwenza abafana! Abazali bami abenzanga mehluko phakathi kwami nabafowethu, kunalokho babefisa ngokuhlanganyela ukuthi sizuze amakhono ethu aphelele. Umndeni wami uhlale usekela ukukhetha kwami, ungikhuthaza futhi ungiqondisa. Kusukela ebuntwaneni bami, ngafundiswa ukubaluleka kokuziphatha okuhle emsebenzini, ukuhleleka nokusebenzela imigomo ecacile, ukuhlonipha abanye, ukwazisa nokwazisa ngokuphila. Lezi zimiso ezibalulekile zingenze ngaba yilokho engiyikho, futhi ngikholwa ukuthi zingisize ngokuyinhloko ukuthi ngikwazi ukuzulazula ngempumelelo emhlabeni wesayensi.
USolwazi Thumbi Ndung’u: “Emashumini amabili eminyaka adlule, umqondo wokwenza ucwaningo lwezokwelapha oluhamba phambili emhlabeni wonke lwabamnyama e-Afrika ubunesifiso esikhulu kakhulu. Babembalwa ososayensi abamnyama abenze ucwaningo olubalulekile noma abanolwazi lokuhola lolu hlobo locwaningo e-Afrika. Ngentshiseko nokuzinikela kwakhe ukuthuthukisa isayensi yase-Afrika, uProf Thumbi Ndung’u ube yisibonelo esihle kakhulu. Ungumeluleki oqinile futhi ngibheka emkhakheni we-virology. Ukuma kwakhe ezingeni lomhlaba njengomcwaningi wase-Afrika kusho lukhulu kimi njengodokotela wegciwane lesandulela ngculazi wase-Afrika. Ngigqugquzelwe umsebenzi wakhe, futhi impumelelo yakhe ingenza ngikholwe ukuthi uma sisebenza kanzima ngokwanele, singakwazi ukudala izixazululo futhi sinikeze izimpendulo ezifanelana nendawo esihlala kuyo njengama-Afrika. "
Ithiphu Lakhe Eliphezulu: Ukwenza isayensi kuyinselele, thatha isinyathelo esisodwa ngesikhathi futhi uziphathe kahle ikakhulukazi lapho izinto zingasebenzi! Bungaza ukunqoba okuncane, kugcina umfutho nothando lwakho luphila.
Ukuthi ulinganisa kanjani lokho okubaluleke kakhulu ukuze aphumelele kwisayensi: Ilukuluku lokuqala, bese kuba ubuciko, ukusebenza kanzima nokuxhumana,
Yini enye oyidingayo? Ukuqina, ukuqina nokubekezela
Amandla amakhulu! Amakhono amahle enhlangano, ikhono lokuhlela nokwenza i-RNA/DNA extract, i-PCR kanye ne-Virus cloning. Ukugcinwa kahle kwamarekhodi.
Amandla Esayensi: Ikhono lokuthuthukisa amaphosta amahle nezethulo zesayensi, amakhono amahle kakhulu okuxhumana, ukusebenzisana nokusebenzisana.
Igama le-Restriction Factor (RF): Amaseli omuntu, njengamanye amangqamuzana ezilwane ezincelisayo, aguqule izindlela ezimbalwa zokuvimbela noma ukuvimba ukutheleleka kwe-lentviral nokusabalala. Ama-RF angamaphrotheni abusayo aqondise ezinyathelweni ezibalulekile ezihlukene zomjikelezo wegciwane, ngaleyo ndlela enikeza umugqa wangaphambi kwesikhathi wokuzivikela egciwaneni. Ukuba khona kwama-RFs kwaqhubeza ukuvela kwegciwane, kwaphoqa igciwane ukuthi likhiqize amaprotheni athile ukuze limelane nomsebenzi walo. Ulwazi lwezinqubo ezivimbela ukutheleleka ngegciwane kanye nozakwabo begciwane lungase lunikeze imininingwane emisha yokuthuthukisa amasu amanje e-antiviral.
Ngaphandle kwelebhu: Izimbali zothando, ukulalela umculo nokudansa. Ngiyayijabulela imisebenzi yangaphandle kanye nokuhleka kakhulu.
Xhuma: Twitter @elgizu1