New viruses found — Female Pitt freshman makes discovery in lab

If you’re looking for freshman Nora Jameson, you’ll probably find her exploring Schenley Park,… If you’re looking for freshman Nora Jameson, you’ll probably find her exploring Schenley Park, listening to The Cure, rock climbing or hanging out with her friends.

Jameson seems like an average college student: a member of Pitt’s Outdoors Club, a violinist and a biochemistry and philosophy double major. She likes Dave and Andy’s ice cream, and her favorite word is esoteric.

In the little spare time she has, Jameson is reading “The Anatomy of Fascism” and “The Satanic Verses.”

“It just sounds cool,” Jameson said.

But, while exploring Schenley park, climbing trees and hanging out at Phipps Conservatory, Jameson collected mulch samples that lead to the discovery of three new viruses called mycobacteriophages.

Mycobacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect mycrobacteria like mycobacterium tuberculosis, the cause of human TB. Mycobacteria also cause strep throat.

There are an estimated 10 to the 31st power identified phages in the biosphere, making them the most numerous organism in the world. Only a small fraction of phages in the world have been identified and only about 300 have been sequenced. Approximately 30 have been discovered at Pitt.

In the future, phages could serve as an alternative to antibiotics or treat human infections. Ideally, phages would be introduced into the body where the infection-causing mycobacterium would attract the phages.

The phages would destroy the mycobacterium and the body could then absorb it as protein.

“By studying these phages and looking at their genetics, we can learn about more genetics of TB and the like,” Jameson said. “Right now we are studying how these phages can knock out genes in TB so we can get a better idea about what drugs are going to do to human TB,” she said.

Jameson plans to name one of her phages “pumpkin” because she celebrated her discovery with a scoop of pumpkin ice cream at Dave and Andy’s.

Debbie Jacobs-Sera, assistant coordinator of Pittsburgh Bacteriophage Institute at Pitt, commended Jameson for her findings.

“Nora is adding to scientific knowledge because she has found something that no one else has,” Jacobs-Sera said.

Jameson does undergraduate research at PBI, an institute that aims to advance the understanding of phages and promote the development of phages as tools to fight disease.

Between homework and activities, Jameson spends about 10 hours a week working in her lab.

“I came to Pitt because I wanted to work in labs.” Jameson said, adding that she was also attracted to the opportunities Pittsburgh held for students.

PBI, funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute with a grant specifically supporting teaching labs, offers opportunities to students at the high school level as well as the undergraduate and graduate levels.