The Hadassah University Hospital

Clinical Virology Laboratory

General Description

·   The Hadassah University Hospital Clinical Virology Laboratory (CVL) is located at the Hadassah University Hospital, within a new central laboratory facility of approximately 2,400 square meters containing state-of-the-art laboratories, modern offices, break room and conference room, as well as glassware washing drying and autoclave facilities. It is designed and equipped to perform tissue culture, virological, biochemical, and molecular biology research and diagnostic virology work

·   The Clinical Virology Laboratory has been categorized as Biosafety Level 2 (BSL2), with the capacity to be categorized as a BSL2-enhanced containment level, which has been assigned for the handling of pandemic influenza vaccine strains.

·   The Clinical Virology Laboratory at Hadassah has been accredited as ISO 15189 laboratory by the Israel Laboratory Accreditation Authority.

Capabilities and specific areas of interest

Viral respiratory infections

·   We have been routinely involved in the detection, monitoring, and treatment of viral respiratory infections such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza, parainfluenza, adenovirus and human metapneumovirus.

·   The respiratory virus work has further expanded to surveillance of respiratory virus outbreaks

·   The Clinical Virology Laboratory at Hadassah has been recognized as a National Influenza Center, working in collaboration with the Israeli Ministry of Health and WHO. Recently, our laboratory has been nominated as one of 3 national reference laboratories in Israel for the diagnosis of human infection with avian influenza – in collaboration with the Israeli Ministry of Health and the Veterinary Institute.

Advances in diagnostic Virology

We have translated our research findings and tools, to develop and establish state-of-the-art culture-based, antigen detection, and direct molecular assays in the clinical Virology Laboratory for the diagnosis of central nervous system, respiratory, congenital, and prenatal viral infections, and for the monitoring of Epstein Barr virus (EBV)- and herpes virus 8 (HHV-8)- associated proliferative disorders in immunocompromised hosts. These advances have facilitated the diagnosis of viral infections within the hospital and in the community, expanded our understanding of the clinical scope of viral infections, and contribute to effective treatment and prevention. The integrated research and advanced diagnosis will facilitate preparedness for emerging infections and epidemics.

In addition to diagnostic developments, the Clinical Virology Laboratory has developed antiviral susceptibility assays for evaluation of antiviral drug activity of new compounds against clinically important viruses, neutralization assays for immune response monitoring, and viral validation assays 

Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV)

We have been studying the molecular mechanism of viral maturation and assembly, and revealed a crucial role for the viral UL97 kinase in late viral maturational events.  These studies identify novel drug targets. We have also examined the molecular evolution of drug-resistance mutations in immunocompromised patients, and developed rapid genotypic assays for the detection of drug resistance to facilitate better therapeutic approach to this growing problem.

We have recently studied critical HCMV-NK interactions which control the      pathogenesis of HCMV disease. The improved diagnosis and Identification of viral replication and immune evasion mechanisms allows better understanding of congenital HCMV disease and could aid in the evaluation of vaccine strategies.