Virginia’s current research is focus on the biology and control of Coccidia (Apicomplexa) parasites affecting animals and humans. To promote the first guiding principle for the ethical use of animals in sciences (the 3Rs) by replacing and reducing the use of animals, she is been developing a robust, rapid and quantitative high throughput in vitro assay for the evaluation of anti-parasitic effects of novel treatments (drugs, natural compounds, specific antibodies) in Eimeria tenella (causing coccidiosis in chickens). This assay combines quantitative PCR, reverse transcription qPCR and semi-automated analysis of images (funded by Houghton Trust Small Research Grant).

She leads research in transgenesis in E. tenella, developing protocols for the use of this parasite as delivery vector for antigens of other avian pathogens. She has detected humoral immune response in chicken immunised with Eimeria carrying antigens of the infectious bursal disease virus and the infectious laryngotracheitis virus, however, consistency and magnitude of immune response stimulated by transgenic Eimeria vaccination should be improved. For that, she has added targeting signals for delivery to the cell surface or secretion, which could to improve the exposition of the antigen and therefore its recognition (funded by the BBSRC BB/H020195/2). She has also used protein fusions with fluorescent reporters for protein localization in a single step that could significantly simplifying the conventional time-consuming procedures for protein characterization and avoiding the use of animals for the production of antibodies.

In addition, with the aim of producing reliable, good quality samples for detailed proteome and transcriptome studies she has optimised in vitro methods of infection and development for sporozoites of E. tenella and Toxoplasma gondii. She has standardised RNA interference and inhibition assays for the investigation of functional roles of parasite and host proteins identified in the previous approaches for identification of new therapeutic targets (funded by the BBSRC BB/L00299X).

PUBLICATIONS

Pastor-Fernandez I, Kim S, Billington K, Bumstead J, Marugan-Hernandez V, Kuster T, Ferguson DJP, Valverde L, Blake DP, Tomley FM. 2018. Development of cross-protective Eimeria-vectored vaccines based on apical membrane antigens. Int J Parasitol 48(7):505-518

Marugan-Hernandez V, Fiddy R, Nurse-Francis, J, Pritchard L, Smith O, Tomley FM. Characterization of a novel microneme adhesive repeats (MAR) in Eimeria tenella. 2017. Parasit Vectors 10(1):491

Marugan-Hernandez V. Neospora caninum and Bovine Neosporosis: Current Vaccine Research. 2017. J Comp Pathol 157(2-3)193-200

Marugan-Hernandez V, Long E, Blake D, Crouch C, Tomley, FM. Eimeria tenella protein trafficking: differential regulation of secretion versus surface tethering during the life cycle. 2017. Sci Rep 7(1)4557

Marugan-Hernandez V, Cockle C, Macdonald S, Pegg E, Crouch C, Blake D, Tomley FM. 2016. Viral proteins expressed in the protozoa parasite Eimeria tenella are detected by the chicken immune system. 2017. Parasit Vectors 9:463

Pastor-Fernández I, Regidor-Cerrillo J, Álvarez-García G, Marugán-Hernández V, Garcia-Lunar, P, Hemphill A, Ortega-Mora LM. 2016. The tandemly repeated NTPase (NTPDase) from Neospora caninum is a canonical dense granule protein whose RNA expression, protein secretion and phosphorylation coincides with the tachyzoite egress. Parasit Vectors 9(1):352

Pastor-Fernández I, Regidor-Cerrillo J, Jiménez-Ruiz E, Álvarez-García G, Marugán-Hernández V, Hemphill A, Ortega-Mora LM. 2016. Characterization of the Neospora caninum NcROP40 and NcROP2Fam-1 rhoptry proteins during the tachyzoite lytic cycle. Parasitology 143(1):97-113

Fernández-García A, Alvarez-García G, Marugán-Hernández V, García-Lunar P, Aguado-Martínez A, Risco-Castillo V, Ortega-Mora LM. 2013. Identification of Besnoitia besnoiti proteins that showed differences in abundance between tachyzoite and bradyzoite stages by difference gel electrophoresis. Parasitology 140(8):999-1008

Jiménez-Ruiz E, Alvarez-García G, Aguado-Martínez A, Salman H, Irache JM, Marugán-Hernández V, Ortega-Mora LM. 2012. Low efficacy of NcGRA7, NcSAG4, NcBSR4 and NcSRS9 formulated in poly-ε-caprolactone against Neospora caninum infection in mice. Vaccine 30(33):4983-92

Regidor-Cerrillo J, Álvarez-García G, Pastor-Fernández I, Marugán-Hernández V, Gómez-Bautista M, Ortega-Mora LM. 2012. Proteome expression changes among virulent and attenuated Neospora caninum isolates. J Proteomics 75(8):2306-18

Marugán-Hernández V, Ortega-Mora L.M, Aguado-Martínez A, Jiménez-Ruíz E, Álvarez-García G. 2011. Transgenic Neospora caninum strains proved to be safe and conferred significant levels of protection against vertical transmission when used as live vaccines in mice. Vaccine 29(44):7867-74

Marugán-Hernández V, Álvarez-García G, Tomley F, Hemphill A, Regidor-Cerrillo J, Ortega-Mora L.M. 2011. Identification of novel rhoptry proteins in Neospora caninum by LC/MS-MS analysis of subcellular fractions. J Proteomics 74(5):629-42

Marugán-Hernández V., Ortega-Mora, L.M., Aguado-Martínez A., Álvarez-García G. 2011. Genetic manipulation of Neospora caninum to express the bradyzoite-specific protein NcSAG4 in tachyzoites.. Parasitology 138(4):472-80

Marugán-Hernández V, Alvarez-García G, Risco-Castillo V, Regidor-Cerrillo J, Ortega-Mora LM. 2010. Identification of Neospora caninum proteins regulated during the differentiation process from tachyzoite to bradyzoite stage by DIGE. Proteomics 10(9):1740-50

Aguado-Martínez A, Alvarez-García G, Fernández-García A, Risco-Castillo V, Marugán-Hernández V, Ortega-Mora LM. 2009. Failure of a vaccine using immunogenic recombinant proteins rNcSAG4 and rNcGRA7 against neosporosis in mice. Vaccine. 27(52):7331-8

CONFERENCE PAPERS

Pastor-Fernandez I, Marugan-Hernandez V, Kim S, Valverde L, Tomley FM, Blake DP. Coccidiosis in poultry: development of Eimeria as vaccine vectors to streamline anticoccidial vaccination. European Coccidiosis Discussion Group. London, UK. May 2018 (Oral communication)

Pastor-Fernandez I, Kim S, Billington K, Bumstead J, Marugan-Hernandez V, Kuster T, Ferguson DJP, Valverde L, Blake DP, Tomley FM. Multivalent Eimeria-vectored oral vaccines for poultry. International Veterinary Vaccinology Network Meeting. Nairobi, Kenia. March 2018 (Poster)

Burrell A, Vaughan S, Marugan-Hernandez V, Tomley F.M. 'Quantifying subcellular structure and organelle dynamics of the Eimeria tenella sporozoite. Annual conference of the Brazilian society of Protozoology. Caxambu, Brazil. November 2017 (Oral communication)

Randle N, Marugan-Hernandez V, Xia D, Blake D, Tomley F, Wastling J. An integrated model of host-parasite interactions in Coccidian parasites. 4th International Meeting on Apicomplexa in Farm Animals. Madrid, Spain. October 2017 (Oral communication)

Pastor-Fernández, I, Marugan-Hernandez V, Tomley FM, Blake DP. Coccidiosis in poultry: development of Eimeria as vaccine vectors to streamline anticoccidial vaccination. 4th International Meeting on Apicomplexa in Farm Animals. Madrid, Spain. October 2017 (Oral communication)

Burrell A, Vaughan S, Marugan-Hernandez V, Tomley F.M. The three-dimensional ultrastructure of Eimeria tenella sporozoites. 4th International Meeting on Apicomplexa in Farm Animals. Madrid, Spain. October 2017 (Oral communication)

Pastor-Fernández I, Marugan-Hernandez V, Tomley FM, Blake DP. Targeting transgenic antigen expression to optimise Eimeria parasites as vaccine delivery vectors. 12th International Coccidiosis Conference. San Antonio, Texas, US. June 2017 (Keynote)

Marugan-Herandez V, Cockle C, Macdonald S, Pegg E, Crouch C, Blake D.P, Tomley F.M. Eimeria tenella as potential vaccine vehicle for viral antigens. 3rd International Symposium on Parasite Infections in Poultry. Vienna, Austria. June 2016 (Oral Poster & Poster)

Burrell A, Vaughan S, Marugan-Hernandez V, Tomley F.M. Defining the detailed structure of Eimeria sporozoites using serial block face scanning electron microscopy. 3rd International Symposium on Parasite Infections in Poultry. Vienna, Austria. June 2016 (Poster)

Virginia co-supervise a PhD student (Alana Burrell) working in the application of powerful 3D imaging methods, in particular serial block face-scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) and electron tomography (ET), alongside conventional imaging techniques to study in detail the processes of E. tenella invasion and intracellular growth (funded by RVC Internal PhD Studentship). She has also supervised several undergraduate research projects associated to some of her research lines (BSc Biological/Bioveterinary Sciences, BSc in Comparative Pathology and BBSRC Research Experience Placements) and participate in other teaching activities (tutor of undergraduate students, facilitator in directed learning sessions and practicals).