Kevin Coombs, BA, MA, PhD

Research summary

Dr. Coombs’s research focuses on understanding virus structure, function, assembly, and pathogenesis.

Using biologic, molecular genetic, and mass spectrometric methods, his research group studies mammalian reoviruses, avian reoviruses, human coronaviruses, Influenza A viruses, and Zika viruses to elucidate how multiple proteins and nucleic acids recognize each other and interact to generate a functionally active macromolecular complex. They also investigate how these complexes interact with host cellular proteins and how selected anti-viral agents can be used to attenuate virus-induced infection and pathogenesis.

The laboratory's research themes include the molecular delineation of anti-viral compounds, virus/host macromolecular interactions, and virus/host structure function.

Dr. Coombs' research interests include using temperature-sensitive mammalian reovirus mutants to analyze virus assembly, proteomic and RNAi-mediated analyses of cellular proteins involved in virus replication and pathogenesis, the use of harmless mammalian reovirus as a biomarker for waste water and medical device disinfection, and mechanistic analyses of modes of action of selected anti-viral compounds.

Research themes

Molecular delineation of:

• Anti-viral compounds
• Virus/host macromolecular interactions
• Virus/host structure function

Research interests

• Using temperature-sensitive mammalian reovirus mutants to analyze virus assembly
• Proteomic and RNAi-mediated analyses of cellular proteins involved in coronavirus, herpesvirus, influenza virus, mammalian reovirus and Zika virus replication and pathogenesis
• Use of harmless mammalian reovirus as a biomarker for waste water and medical device disinfection
• Mechanistic analyses of modes of action of selected anti-viral compounds

Research groups and affiliations

Research scientist, Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM)

Manitoba Centre for Proteomics & Systems Biology

Manitoba Group in Protein Structure and Function

Keywords

• Anti-virals
• Macromolecular structure-function
• Mass spectrometry
• Molecular genetics
• Nucleoprotein complexes
• Proteomics
• RNA viruses
• Virus-host interactions
• Virus assembly
• Virus pathogenesis

Dr. Kevin Coombs is a senior scholar in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba. He has a bachelor of arts degree in biology and english, a master of arts degree and a doctor of philosophy degree in microbiology from the State University of New York at Geneseo and the University of Texas at Austin respectively. He completed his post-doctoral fellowship in molecular genetics at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Coombs' research interests are focused on the molecular characterization of ribonucleic acid (RNA) viruses, specifically their structure, function, assembly, and pathogenesis. He uses various biological, molecular genetic, and mass spectrometric methods to study the interactions between mammalian reoviruses, avian reoviruses, human coronaviruses, Influenza A viruses, and Zika viruses with host cells. His work also examines the potential use of non-pathogenic viruses as "bio-indicators" for wastewater and medical instrument disinfection management.

Dr. Coombs' work is funded by the Max Rady College of Medicine/Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MRC/CIHR) and has been continuously supported since the year after he moved to Manitoba.

He has received numerous accolades, including the Dr. Fred Aoki Career Achievement Award for outstanding service in at least three areas, the Faculty of Medicine Ed Kroeger Mentorship Award, the University Merit Award for Teaching, and the Faculty of Medicine Graduate Student Association Mentorship Award (inaugural recipient).

Dr. Coombs has also served on various local, national, and international grant funding panels and held several administrative roles, including Chair for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Virology and Viral Pathogenesis panel, acting and associate head for the department of medical microbiology, associate dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies, and associate and assistant dean of research in the Max Rady College of Medicine.