2001-2008 Postdoctoral Scholar/Research Scientist, University of Iowa, IA, USA
1995-2000 Ph.D. Genetics, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada
1990-1994 B.Sc. Biochemistry and Genetics, University of Guelph, ON, Canada

Research Projects:
Research in the Excoffon laboratory is focused on understanding how cells communicate and what happens when a viral pathogen co-opts cell surface proteins for receptors.

Adenovirus is a common pathogen and, depending on the serotype, may cause a variety of disease symptoms. The receptor for adenovirus is also a receptor for Coxsackie B viruses and is named Coxsackie-Adenovirus Receptor (CAR). CAR normally behaves as a homotypic adhesion protein but several other functions, including intracellular protein trafficking and leukocyte transmigration, have recently been discovered.

I will be focusing on 3 related areas: virus-cell interactions (pathogenesis/gene therapy), cell-cell interactions (epithelia and lymphocytes), and the endogenous function of the Coxsackie-Adenovirus Receptor (CAR) on the molecular level (primarily protein-protein interactions). Gene therapy work will also include adeno-associated virus.

Representative Publications:

Excoffon K.J.D.A., Koerber, J.T., Dickey, D.D., Murtha, M., Keshavjee, S., Kaspar, B., Zabner, J. and Schaffer, D.V. (2009) Directed evolution of adeno-associated virus to an infectious respiratory virus. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA. Online Feb. 23, 2009.

Excoffon K.J.D.A., Guglielmi, K.M., Wetzel, J.D., Gansmer, N, Campbell, J.A., Dermody, T.S. and Zabner, J. (2008) Reovirus preferentially infects the basolateral surface and is released from the apical surface of polarized human respiratory epithelial cells. Journal of Infectious Diseases 197 ( 8 ): 1189-97.

Granio, O., Norez, C., Excoffon, K.J.D.A., Karp, P.H., Lusky, M., Becq, F., Boulanger, B., Zabner, J. and Hong, S.S. (2007) Cellular localization and Cl- channel activity of GFP-CFTR in airway epithelial and tracheal cells. American Journal of Respiratory Care and Critical Medicine 37 ( 6 ): 631-9 .

Excoffon, K.J.D.A., Gansemer, N, Traver, G.L. and Zabner, J. (2007) Functional effects of coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor glycosylation on homophilic adhesion and adenoviral infection. Journal of Virology 81(11):5573-8. Epub 2007 Mar 21.

Moskwa, P., Lorentzen, D., Excoffon, K.J., Zabner, J., McCray Jr, PB., Nauseef, WM., Dupuy, C., Banfi, B. (2006). A novel host defense system of airways is defective in cystic fibrosis. American Journal of Respiratory Care and Critical Medicine. 175(2):174-83.

Excoffon, K.J.D.A., Avenarius, M.R., Hansen, M.R., Kimberling, W.J., Najmabadi, H., Smith, R.J., Zabner, J. (2006) The coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor: A new adhesion protein in cochlear development. Hearing Research. 215(1-2):1-9. (Cover)

Excoffon, K.J.D.A., Traver, G, and Zabner, J. (2005) The role of the extracellular domain in the biology of the Coxsackievirus and Adenovirus Receptor. American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. 32(6):498-503.

Davis, B., Nguyen, J., Stoltz, D., Depping, D., Excoffon, K.J.D.A. and Zabner, J. (2004) Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer to airway epithelia is enhanced by apical localization of the Coxsackie-Adenovirus Receptor by GPI In Vivo . Molecular Therapy . 10(3):500-6.

Excoffon, K.J, .D.A., Hruska-Hageman, A., Klotz, M., Traver, G. and Zabner, J. (2004) A role for the PDZ binding domain of the Coxsackie B virus and Adenovirus Receptor (CAR) in cell adhesion and growth. Journal of Cell Science, 117(Pt 19):4401-9.

Ostedgaard LS, Randak C, Rokhlina T, Karp P, Vermeer D, Ashbourne Excoffon KJ , Welsh MJ. (2003) Effects of C-terminal deletions on cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator function in cystic fibrosis airway epithelia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, USA. 100(4):1937-42.

Excoffon, K.J.D.A., Moninger, T. and Zabner, J. (2003) The Coxsackie B Virus and Adenovirus Receptor Resides in a Distinct Membrane Microdomain, Journal of Virology , 77(4):2559-67.