Laura Palermo

Email:

palermol@newschool.edu

Profile:

Laura Palermo is a lecturer in history at the New School and Undergraduate History Advisor. Dr. Palermo holds a Ph.D. in Virology from Cornell University and trained as a postdoctoral fellow at Weill Cornell Medicine. Previously, Dr. Palermo was appointed Associate Research Scientist (equivalent to Assistant Professor) at Columbia Medical Center and Instructor at Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Palermo taught first year medical students at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Professor Palermo has published extensively in the field of virology and has more than 20 original articles in top peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Palermo received several grants and fellowships during her career, and she is actively engaged in helping students to obtain support to advance their careers.

At The New School, Dr. Palermo teaches courses on the history of science, especially on the global histories of disease, viruses and vaccines in history, and the history of medicine.

Degrees Held:

Ph.D. in Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, 2006

B.A in Biology, University of Buenos Aires, 1999

Professional Affiliations:

American Society for Virology

Recent Publications:

• Chen Y, Huang S, Rodrigus Toste de Carvalho A, Ho S, Islam M, Volpi S, Notarangelo L, Ciancanelli M, Casanova J, Bhattyacharya J, Liang, F, Palermo LM, Porotto M, Moscona A, Snoeck H. (2017) “A three-dimensional model of human lung development and disease from pluripotent stem cells” Nature Cell Biology. 19(5):542-549. doi: 10.1038/ncb3510
• Mathieu C, Augusto M, Niewiesk S, Horvart B, Palermo LM, Sanna G, Maduddu S, Huey D, Castanho M, Porotto M, Santos N, Moscona A. (2017) “Broad spectrum antiviral activity for paramyxoviruses is modulated by biophysical properties of fusion inhibitory peptides”. Scientific Reports.  7:43610. doi: 10.1038/srep43610.
• Figueria TN*, Palermo LM*, Veiga AS, Huey S, Alabi CA, Santos NC, Welsch JC, Mathieu C, Horvart, B, Niewiesk, S, Moscona, A, Castabho, MARB, Porotto, M. (2016). “In vivo efficacy of measles virus fusion protein-derived peptides is modulated by properties of self-assembly and membrane residence”. Journal of Virology. 91:1 17 e01554-16 * These authors contributed equally.
• Palermo LM, Uppal M, Skrabanek L, Zumbo P, Germer S, Toussaint NC, Rima BK, Huey D, Niewiesk S, Porotto M, Moscona A. (2016) “Features of Circulating Parainfluenza Virus Required for Growth in Human Airway” MBio Mar15;7 (2) pii: e00235-16. doi: 10.1128/mBio.00235-16.
• Jurgens, E, EM, Mathieu C, Palermo LM, Hardie D, Horvat B, Moscona A, Porotto M. (2015) “Measles fusion machinery is dysregulated in neuropathogenic variants.”  MBio.  Feb 10;6(1). pii: e02528-14. doi: 10.1128/mBio.0252
• Palgen, JL, Jurgens, E, Moscona, A, Porotto, M, Palermo, LM (2014). “Unity in diversity: Shared mechanism of entry among paramyxoviruses.” Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science. 129:1-32. doi: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2014.10.001.
• Xu, R, Palmer SG, Porotto, M, Palermo LM, Niewiesk, S., Wilson, IA, Moscona, A. (2013). “Interaction between the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase and fusion glycoproteins of human parainfluenza virus type III regulates viral growth in vivo.”  MBio. vol. 4 no. 5e00803-13 doi: 10.1128/mBio.00803-1322
• Porotto M, Salah ZW, Gui L, DeVito, I, Jurgens EM, Lu H, Yokoyama CC, Palermo LM, Lee KK, Moscona A. (2012). “Regulation of paramyxovirus fusion activation: the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein stabilizes the fusion protein in a pretriggered state.” Journal of Virology. (23):12838-48.
• Palmer SG, Porotto M, Palermo LM, Cunha LF,  Greengard O, Moscona A. (2012). “Adaptation of human parainfluenza virus to airway epithelium reveals fusion properties required for growth in host tissue.” MBio. Jun 5;3(3). pii: e00137-12. doi: 10.1128/mBio.00137-12
• Porotto M, Palmer SG, Palermo LM, Moscona A. (2012).  “The mechanism of fusion triggering by human parainfluenza virus type III: communication between the viral glycoproteins during entry.” J. Biol. Chem. 287(1): 778-93
• Farzan, SF*, Palermo, LM*, Yokoyama, CC, Orefice G, Fornabaio, M, Sarkar, A, Kellogg, GE, Greengard, O, Porotto, M, Moscona, A. (2011). “Premature activation of the paramyxovirus fusion protein before target cell attachment: corruption of the viral fusion machinery.” J Biol Chem. 286 (44): 37945-54.  * These authors contributed equally.
• Porotto M, Rockx, B., Yokoyama, C. Talekar, A. Palermo, LM, Cortese R. Pessi A, Moscona A.  (2010). “Inhibition of Nipah Virus Infection In Vivo: Targeting an Early Stage of Paramyxovirus Fusion Activation during Viral Entry.” PLoS Pathogens. 6(10). e1001168 http://www.plospathogens.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.ppat.1001168
• Porotto M, Yokoyama CC, Palermo LM, Mungall B, Aljofan M, Cortese R, Pessi A, Moscona A. (2010). “Viral entry inhibitors targeted to the membrane site of action.” Journal of Virology. 84(13): 6760-8
• Palermo, L.M , Porotto, M. , Yokoyama, C., Palmer, S.G., Greengard, O. Mungall, B.A., Niewiesk, S., Moscona, A (2009).  “Human parainfluenza virus infection of the airway epithelium: the viral hemagglutinin-neuraminidase regulates F-triggering and modulates infectivity.” Journal of Virology 83 (13): 6900-8. 
• Hafenstein S., Bowman V.D., Sun T, Nelson C.D., Palermo L.M., Chipman P.R., Battisti A.J., Parrish C.R., Rossmann M.G. (2009).   “Structural comparison of different antibodies interacting with parvovirus capsids.” Journal of Virology.  83(11):5556-66
• Palermo, L.M., Porotto, M., Greengard, O., Moscona, A. (2007). “Fusion promotion by a paramyxovirus HN: pH modulation of receptor avidity of binding sites I and II.” Journal of Virology.  81(17): 9152-9161
• Hafenstein, S. Palermo, L.M., Kostyuchenko, V.A., Xiao C., Morais M.C., Nelson, C.D., Bowman, V.D., Battisti, A.J., Chipman, P.R., Parrish, C.R., Rossmann, M.G. (2007). “Asymmetric binding of transferrin receptor to parvovirus capsids.” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.  104(16): 6585-9.
• Nelson C.N., Palermo, L.M., Hafenstein, S. L., Parrish C.R. (2007).  “Different mechanisms of antibody-mediated neutralization of parvoviruses revealed using the Fab fragments of monoclonal antibodies.” Virology. 361(2): 283-93
• Rossmann M.G., Arisaka F., Battisti A.J., Bowman V.D., Chipman P.R., Fokine A., Hafenstein S., Kanamaru S., Kostyuchenko V.A., Mesyanzhinov V.V., Shneider M.M., Morais M.C., Leiman P.G., Palermo L.M., Parrish C.R., Xiao C.  (2007).  “From structure of the complex to understanding of the biology.” Acta Cryst.  D63, 9-16. 
• Palermo, L.M., Hafenstein, S., Parrish, C.R. (2006). “Purified feline and canine transferrin receptors reveal complex interactions with the capsids of feline and canine parvoviruses that correspond to their host ranges.”  Journal of Virology. 80(17): 8482-92.
• Hueffer, K., Palermo, L.M., Parrish, C.R. (2004). “Parvovirus infection of cells using variants of the feline transferrin receptor altering clathrin-mediated endocytosis, membrane domain localization and capsid binding domains.” Journal of Virology. 78(11): 5601-11.
• Palermo, L.M., Hueffer K., Parrish, C.R. (2003). “Residues in the apical domain of the feline and canine transferrin receptors control host-specific binding and cell infection of canine and feline parvoviruses.”  Journal of Virology. 77(16): 8915-23.
• Castilla, V., Palermo, L.M., Coto, C. (2001).  “Involvement of vacuolar proton ATPase on Junin virus multiplication.”  Archives of Virology. 146: 251-263.

Awards And Honors:

• Stony Wold-Herbert Fund Grant. 2017-2018
• Scholarship from the Office of Faculty Diversity and the Dean’s office Weill Cornell Medical College                        
• NIH Diversity Supplement for Grant Number 3R01AI031971-19S1.       2010-2013
• Charles H. Revson Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship.   2008-2010
• Parker B. Francis Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship.      2008-2011
• Stony Wold-Herbert Fund Postdoctoral Fellowship.            2008-2010
• Morris Animal Foundation Training Fellowship.                 2006-2008
• Post-doctoral travel award American Society for Virology to attend the Annual Meeting           2007-2009
• Student travel award American Society for Virology to attend the Annual Meeting                    2002-2006
• Argentine National Agency for Scientific and Technology Promotion Fellowship                       1999-2001