Dr Christina Cousens
Address:
Moredun Research Institute
Pentlands Science Park
Bush Loan
Penicuik
Midlothian EH26 0PZ
Scotland
Telephone Number:
+44 (0)131 445 5111
Email address:
Chris Cousens joined Moredun in 1993 after 2 years of working in transgenics research at the Roslin Institute. Chris holds a long standing interest in pathogenesis and gained a BSc (Hons) in Bacteriology (University of Edinburgh) and a PhD in the field of veterinary virology (Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh). Chris has for many years been conducting research into Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) and the disease it causes, ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA).
Current Research:
Currently working on:
- Development of control measures for OPA including improved diagnostics.
- Development of an in vitro model system to study viral infections of the lung.
- The epidemiology of JSRV.
Selected Key Publications:
Selected Key Publications
- Caporale, M., Cousens C., Centorame P., Pinoni C., De las Heras M., & Palmarini M. 2006. Expression of the Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus envelope glycoprotein Is sufficient to iInduce lung tumors in sheep. Journal of Virology. 80(16):8030 - 8037.
- Cousens, C., Maeda N., Murgia C., Dagleish M. P., Palmarini M., & Fan H. 2007. In vivo tumorigenesis by Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) requires Y590 in Env TM, but not full-length orfX open reading frame. Virology. 367(2):413 - 421.
- Cousens, C., Graham M., Sales J., & Dagleish M. P. 2008. Evaluation of the efficacy of clinical diagnosis of ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma. The Veterinary Record. 162():88-89.
- Cousens, C., Thonur L., Imlach S., Crawford J., Sales J., & Griffiths D. J. 2009. Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus is present at high concentration in lung fluid produced by ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma-affected sheep and can survive for several weeks at ambient temperatures. Research in Veterinary Science. 87(1):154 - 156.
- Lewis, F. I., Brülisauer F., Cousens C., McKendrick I. J., & Gunn G. J. 2009. Diagnostic accuracy of PCR for Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus using field data from 125 Scottish sheep flocks. The Veterinary Journal. (In Press):.
- Griffiths, D. J., Martineau H. M., & Cousens C. 2010. Pathology and pathogenesis of ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Journal of Comparative Pathology. 142(4):260-283.