Sokoloski Lab

About 

The research of the Sokoloski Lab focuses on understanding the complex interactions between RNA viruses and their host systems with a particular emphasis on viral RNA biology, RNA:Protein, and Protein:Protein interactions at the host / pathogen interface. Using highly tractable models of infection ranging from genuine in vitro systems, cell and tissue culture systems, and small animal and insect systems, the Sokoloski lab examines the molecular pathogenesis of arthritogenic and encephalitic alphaviruses, such as Sindbis virus (SINV), Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), Ross River virus (RRV), and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus (VEEV).   

The lab has several research projects, including- i) defining the molecular and biological importance of a novel noncoding viral RNA species to alphaviral infections, ii) assessing the impact of the alphaviral capsid protein on innate immune signaling in vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, and iii) determining the acute and long-term consequences of alphaviral infections using spatial transcriptomics and proteomics approaches. As demonstrated by the lab’s publication record these efforts continue to successfully advance the understanding of alphaviral infection and pathogenesis.  

The goal is to use the knowledge gained from studying this interface to inform the development of novel therapeutic strategies and vaccine candidates to alleviate the health burdens of RNA viruses.  

Key Research Areas

• RNA Virology
• RNA Biology
• Host / Pathogen Interactions
• Viral Pathogenesis 

Team 

Current Members 

• Kevin J Sokoloski, PhD, Principal Investigator; Colorado State University, 2010

• Cierra Isom, MS, M&I PhD Candidate, 2021

• Deepa Karki, MS, M&I PhD Candidate, 2021

• Sayra Moni, M&I PhD Student, 2023

• Milton Thomas, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Associate 

Alumni 

• Autumn T. LaPointe, PhD, currently a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Allison Kell, University of New Mexico 

• Claire Westcott, PhD, currently a science writer in private industry

• V “Trey” Landers, PhD, currently a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Kate Fitzgerald, University of Massachusetts

Sokoloski Center / Division Memberships 

• Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Division of Viral Pathogens  

• Center for Predictive Medicine, Biodefense, and Emerging Infectious Diseases 

• Center for Functional Microbiomics, Inflammation, and Pathogenesis 

• Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Louisville, School of Medicine  

Recent Publications

• Landers VD, Thomas M, Isom CM, Karki D, Sokoloski KJ. Capsid protein mediated evasion of IRAK1-dependent signalling is essential to Sindbis virus neuroinvasion and virulence in mice. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2024 Dec;13(1):2300452. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2300452. Epub 2024 Jan 7. PubMed PMID: 38164715; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10773654. 

• Sokoloski KJ, Holm RH, Smith M, Ford EE, Rouchka EC, Smith T. What is the functional reach of wastewater surveillance for respiratory viruses, pathogenic viruses of concern, and bacterial antibiotic resistance genes of interest?. Hum Genomics. 2023 Dec 18;17(1):114. doi: 10.1186/s40246-023-00563-8. Review. PubMed PMID: 38105239; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10726489. 

• Harder JW, Ma J, Alard P, Sokoloski KJ, Mathiowitz E, Furtado S, Egilmez NK, Kosiewicz MM. Male microbiota-associated metabolite restores macrophage efferocytosis in female lupus-prone mice via activation of PPARγ/LXR signaling pathways. J Leukoc Biol. 2023 Jan 10;113(1):41-57. doi: 10.1093/jleuko/qiac002. PubMed PMID: 36822162. 

• Westcott CE, Isom CM, Karki D, Sokoloski KJ. Dancing with the Devil: A Review of the Importance of Host RNA-Binding Proteins to Alphaviral RNAs during Infection. Viruses. 2023 Jan 5;15(1). doi: 10.3390/v15010164. Review. PubMed PMID: 36680204; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9865062. 

• Smith T, Holm RH, Yeager R, Moore JB 4th, Rouchka EC, Sokoloski KJ, Elliott EM, Talley D, Arora V, Moyer S, Bhatnagar A. Combining Community Wastewater Genomic Surveillance with State Clinical Surveillance: A Framework for SARS-CoV-2 Public Health Practice. Food Environ Virol. 2022 Dec;14(4):410-416. doi: 10.1007/s12560-022-09531-2. Epub 2022 Aug 18. PubMed PMID: 35982363; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9387882. 

• Westcott CE, Sokoloski KJ, Rouchka EC, Chariker JH, Holm RH, Yeager RA, Moore JB 4th, Elliott EM, Talley D, Bhatnagar A, Smith T. The Detection of Periodic Reemergence Events of SARS-CoV-2 Delta Strain in Communities Dominated by Omicron. Pathogens. 2022 Oct 28;11(11). doi: 10.3390/pathogens11111249. PubMed PMID: 36365000; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9697103. 

• Westcott CE, Qazi S, Maiocco AM, Mukhopadhyay S, Sokoloski KJ. Binding of hnRNP I-vRNA Regulates Sindbis Virus Structural Protein Expression to Promote Particle Infectivity. Viruses. 2022 Jun 28;14(7). doi: 10.3390/v14071423. PubMed PMID: 35891402; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9318202. 

• Rodriguez-Hernandez CJ, Sokoloski KJ, Stocke KS, Dukka H, Jin S, Metzler MA, Zaitsev K, Shpak B, Shen D, Miller DP, Artyomov MN, Lamont RJ, Bagaitkar J. Microbiome-mediated incapacitation of interferon lambda production in the oral mucosa. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Dec 21;118(51). doi: 10.1073/pnas.2105170118. PubMed PMID: 34921113; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8713781. 

• Rouchka EC, Chariker JH, Saurabh K, Waigel S, Zacharias W, Zhang M, Talley D, Santisteban I, Puccio M, Moyer S, Holm RH, Yeager RA, Sokoloski KJ, Fuqua J, Bhatnagar A, Smith T. The Rapid Assessment of Aggregated Wastewater Samples for Genomic Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 on a City-Wide Scale. Pathogens. 2021 Oct 1;10(10). doi: 10.3390/pathogens10101271. PubMed PMID: 34684220; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8541652. 

• Kiser LM, Sokoloski KJ, Hardy RW. Interactions between capsid and viral RNA regulate Chikungunya virus translation in a host-specific manner. Virology. 2021 Aug;560:34-42. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2021.04.009. Epub 2021 May 6. PubMed PMID: 34023723; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8206026. 

• LaPointe AT, Sokoloski KJ. De-Coding the Contributions of the Viral RNAs to Alphaviral Pathogenesis. Pathogens. 2021 Jun 19;10(6). doi: 10.3390/pathogens10060771. Review. PubMed PMID: 34205345; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8233893. 

• Landers VD, Wilkey DW, Merchant ML, Mitchell TC, Sokoloski KJ. The Alphaviral Capsid Protein Inhibits IRAK1-Dependent TLR Signaling. Viruses. 2021 Feb 27;13(3). doi: 10.3390/v13030377. PubMed PMID: 33673546; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7997285. 

A full list of Sokoloski Lab publications may be found here.