Please join the 36th Annual Winn Feline Foundation Symposium in New Orleans on July 26, 2014. This audio portion features the Symposium introduction with nationally known radio personality, Steve Dale, as he talks about the Winn Feline Foundation and introduces Beth Licitra. Beth Licitra is a combined DVM and PhD candidate at Cornell University and is involved in research through the Whittaker Laboratory at the University.

Beth Licitra’s presentation will cover the discovery where “Pathogenesis of feline coronavirus is linked to mutation of a critical viral activation site”. Research in the Whittaker Laboratory focuses on investigations into the initial steps of virus infection. This includes binding of the virus to its host receptor, activation of viral attachment proteins by host proteases, and fusion of viral and host cell membranes. Their work also looks at human and avian influenza viruses as well as coronaviruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The talk summarizes their findings on the correlation between mutations in the FCoV spike protein and the development of FIP. It also highlights their current work on the role of host cell proteases in the progression of this fatal disease. The Whittaker Laboratory's research has uncovered a molecular basis for FIP that has potential to lead to developments in diagnostics, prevention, and treatment.