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Research and Clinical Interests

We seek to develop gene therapy vectors that can target and eradicate tumor cells in vivo, whether they be localized or spread throughout the body. We use state of the art approaches to achieve this goal, including in vivo imaging. Also, we are engaged in studies of the high affinity laminin receptor, particularly its role in disease and its structure. Other efforts in the lab are directed at discovering novel therapeutic agents for viral diseases and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Selected Publications

Jamieson K, Wu J, Hubbard SR, Meruelo D. Crystal structure of the human laminin receptor precursor. J Biol Chem. 2008 Feb 8;283(6):3002-5. Epub 2007 Dec 6. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 18063583.

Tseng JC, Zheng Y, Yee H, Levy DE, Meruelo D. Restricted tissue tropism and acquired resistance to Sindbis viral vector expression in the absence of innate and adaptive immunity. Gene Ther. 2007 Aug;14(15):1166-74. Epub 2007 May 17. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 17508007.

Tseng JC, Zanzonico PB, Levin B, Finn R, Larson SM, Meruelo D. Tumor-specific in vivo transfection with HSV-1 thymidine kinase gene using a Sindbis viral vector as a basis for prodrug ganciclovir activation and PET. J Nucl Med. 2006 Jul;47(7):1136-43. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 16818948.

Hurtado A, Tseng JC, Meruelo D. Gene therapy that safely targets and kills tumor cells throughout the body. Rejuvenation Res. 2006;9(1):33-44. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 16608394.

Hurtado A, Tseng JC, Boivin C, Levin B, Yee H, Pampeno C, Meruelo D. Identification of amino acids of Sindbis virus E2 protein involved in targeting tumor metastases in vivo. Mol Ther. 2005 Nov;12(5):813-23. Epub 2005 Aug 16. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 16109508.

Tseng JC, Hurtado A, Yee H, Levin B, Boivin C, Benet M, Blank SV, Pellicer A, Meruelo D. Using sindbis viral vectors for specific detection and suppression of advanced ovarian cancer in animal models. Cancer Res. 2004 Sep 15;64(18):6684-92. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 15374985.

Tseng JC, Levin B, Hurtado A, Yee H, Perez de Castro I, Jimenez M, Shamamian P, Jin R, Novick RP, Pellicer A, Meruelo D. Systemic tumor targeting and killing by Sindbis viral vectors. Nat Biotechnol. 2004 Jan;22(1):70-7. Epub 2003 Nov 30. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 14647305.

Blank M, Mandel M, Keisari Y, Meruelo D, Lavie G. Enhanced ubiquitinylation of heat shock protein 90 as a potential mechanism for mitotic cell death in cancer cells induced with hypericin. Cancer Res. 2003 Dec 1;63(23):8241-7. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 14678981.

Tseng JC, Levin B, Hirano T, Yee H, Pampeno C, Meruelo D. In vivo antitumor activity of Sindbis viral vectors. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2002 Dec 4;94(23):1790-802. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 12464651.

Ishizu A, Sawai K, Ikeda H, Hirano T, Ishiguro N, Meruelo D. Transduction of a murine dominant negative activation transcription factor 1 increases cell surface expression of the class I MHC on a human epidermoid tumor cell line. Int Immunol. 2000 Feb;12(2):161-8. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 10653851.

Iijima Y, Ohno K, Ikeda H, Sawai K, Levin B, Meruelo D. Cell-specific targeting of a thymidine kinase/ganciclovir gene therapy system using a recombinant Sindbis virus vector. Int J Cancer. 1999 Jan 5;80(1):110-8. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 9935240.

Ishiguro N, Brown GD, Ishizu A, Meruelo D. The regulation of murine H-2Dd expression by activation transcription factor 1 and cAMP response element binding protein. J Immunol. 1998 Jun 15;160(12):5907-14. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 9637503.

Ohno K, Sawai K, Iijima Y, Levin B, Meruelo D. Cell-specific targeting of Sindbis virus vectors displaying IgG-binding domains of protein A. Nat Biotechnol. 1997 Aug;15(8):763-7. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 9255791.

Ishiguro N, Brown GD, Meruelo D. Activation transcription factor 1 involvement in the regulation of murine H-2Dd expression. J Biol Chem. 1997 Jun 20;272(25):15993-16001. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 9188502.

Lavie G, Mazur Y, Lavie D, Meruelo D. The chemical and biological properties of hypericin--a compound with a broad spectrum of biological activities. Med Res Rev. 1995 Mar;15(2):111-119. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 7739292.

Selected Books and Reviews

Meruelo D, Levin B, Pampeno C. Generation of safe, targetable Sindbis vectors that have the potential for direct in vivo therapies. In: Curiel DT, Douglas JT, editors. Vector Targeting for Therapeutic gene Delivery. New York: Wiley & Sons; 2002. pp. 353-75.

Meruelo D, Degar S, Amari N, Mazur Y, Lavie D, Levin B, Lavie G. Mode of Action of Hypericin as an antiretroviral agent and other relevant findings. In: Chu CK, Cutler H, editors. Natural Products as Antiviral Agents. New York: Plenum Publishing; 1992. pp. 91-119.

Lavie G, Mazur Y, Lavie D, Levin B, Itach I, Meruelo D. Hypericin as an antiretroviral agent. Mode of action and related analogs. In: St. Georgiev V, McGowan JJ, editors. AIDS: Anti-HIV Agents, Therapies, and Vaccines. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Vol. 616. New York: NY Acad Sci; 1990. pp. 556-6.

Brown GD, Pampeno C, Meruelo D. Virus modulation of H-2 class I gene expression. In: Srivastava R, Ram BP, Tyle P, editors. Immunogenetics of the MHC Complex. New York: VCH Publishers; 1990. pp. 268-308.

Brown GD, Choi Y, Pampeno C, Meruelo D. Regulation of H-2 Class I gene Expression in Virally Transformed and Infected Cells. In: CRC Critical Reviews in Immunology. Vol. 8. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 1988. pp. 175-215.

Meruelo D. Mechanisms of viral-induced alterations of expression of class I genes and their role on tumorigenesis. In: Greene M, editor. The Development and Regulation of the Transformed Cell. New York: Plenum Publishing; 1987. pp. 203-20.

Meruelo D. Retroviral sequences flanking histocompatibility genes alter their expression, function and evolution. In: Skamane E, editor. Genetic Control of Host Resistance to Infection and Immunity. New York: Liss; 1985. pp. 655-69.

Meruelo D. Relationship between leukemia virus genomes and histocompatibility genes. In: Cruse JM, Lewis RE Jr, editors. The Year in Immunology 1984–85. Basel: Karger; 1985. pp. 163-71.

Meruelo D, Bach R. Genetics of resistance to virus-induced leukemias. Adv Cancer Res. 1983;40:1071-88.

Meruelo D, Edidin M. The Biological Function of the Major Histocompatibility Complex: Hypotheses. In: Marchalonis JJ, Cohen N, editors. Contemporary Topics in Immunobiology. Vol. 9. New York: Plenum Publishing; 1980. pp. 231-53.

Meruelo D, Smith D, Flieger N, McDevitt HO. H-2 linked resistance to spontaneous AKR leukemia: A Mechanism. In: Fox F, editor. T and B Lymphocytes: Recognition and Function. New York: Academic Press; 1979. pp. 511-22.

Meruelo D, Lieberman M, McDevitt HO. Susceptibility to Radiation Leukemia virus-induced leukemogenesis: Demonstration of an H-2D effect. In: Cudkowicz G, Landy M, Shearer GM, editors. Natural Resistance Systems Against Foreign Cells, Tumors and Microbes. New York: Academic Press; 1978. pp. 168-72.

Meruelo D, McDevitt HO. Recent studies on the role of the immune response in resistance to virus-induced leukemias and lymphomas. Sem Hemat. 1978;15:399-419.

Organizational Associations

NYU School of Medicine Faculty Council: 2004–2006 President Faculty Council, NYU ; School of Medicine; 1997–2004 Vice-President Faculty Council, New York University ; School of Medicine; 1996–present Senator, New York University

Selected Awards

2007 The Leadership Alliance Mentor Recognition Award
3/89-2/03 NIH Merit Awardee
7/83-6/88 American Heart Association Established Investigator
7/78-6/83 Leukemia Society of America Scholar
1/78-12/82 Irma Hirschl Career Scientist Awardee
9/76-8/77 N.I.H. Postdoctoral Fellowship IF32 CA05763-01
9/74-8/76 Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Postdoctoral Fellowship DRG-30-F1977-