Researcher Profiles

Dr. Renée Douville

Assistant Professor, University of Winnipeg, Department of Biology
Adjunct Professor, University of Manitoba, Department of Immunology

Can you share a brief description of your current research.

The mission of my laboratory is to understand how the innate immune system protects the brain from infection with human retroviruses.    Our lab uses state-of-the-art molecular biology and imaging techniques to understand how brain cells become damaged in retrovirus-associated neurologic diseases.  This knowledge of host versus virus interaction is important for determining the immunologic, genetic and viral factors which cause damage to neurons in neurological diseases, and ultimately to identify novel therapeutic targets against retroviral infections.  

In what ways could this research affect the average person?

A substantial portion of human DNA is made up of endogenous retroviruses, commonly called HERVs.  These packets of viral DNA can be expressed in both health and disease, so basically our research touches the fundamental biology of everyone in society.  This research area also has the potential to identify disease biomarkers and lead to new advances in therapeutics for chronic neurological conditions and cancer.

For you personally, why do you want to do this kind of research?

My view of the world is one of intangible networks and relationships.  An appreciation for virus-human symbiosis fulfills the idea that we are more than a single entity; instead we are a collection of interactions that works as a whole.  I have been more and more enthralled by HERVs since reading books like Darwin’s Radio, The Selfish Gene and Virolution – how can these viruses have such a huge impact on mankind?  It is a question I would be happy to chase during my entire research career.

What is the most satisfying part of this research?

We train our junior scientist to make logical hypotheses based on scientific evidence, and this is a practice that I maintain rigorously.  However, I have never made one that was completely accurate in my entire career!  That is the whole fun of research – not knowing what the data will reveal and having all your assumptions proven wrong.  It forces you to keep an open mind and look at problems in a new way. Because of our lack of knowledge about retroviruses and the innate immune system, this leads to new and fascinating results all the time.

What kind of student involvement do you have in this research?

Trainees ARE the laboratory!  My laboratory team consists of undergraduate and graduate students who are an integral part of our research projects, vision and atmosphere.  Their ideas help drive the research forward and their hard work turns them into research deliverables, such as journal articles, conference presentations and grant applications.  The best part of being a supervisor is watching the students’ scientific growth and celebrating their successes.

What would you say to students who may be interested in this field of study?

Be creative and think outside the box!  Thirty years ago, endogenous retrovirus sequences were called “Junk DNA”.  Now, we appreciate that they may have important roles in human biology because dedicated research groups braved the scientific criticism and kept on investigating these fascinating viruses.  As a prospective student in virology, be prepared to push the scientific boundaries of your textbook learning – these little entities are also doing something unconventional.