Dr. Jack Greenblatt

Dr. Greenblatt’s early research focused on the viruses that infect bacteria (i.e., “bacteriophages”). After he moved on to research with yeast and human cells, he maintained interest in virology by collaborating with Professor Lori Frappier. Professor Frappier’s research focus in the Department of Molecular Genetics has been on Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), a herpesvirus that infects young people, persists throughout life as a latent infection in more than 90% of people, and was known to cause several types of human cancer (about 2% of the total human cancer burden). After it was shown in 2022 that EBV is essential for the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), Dr. Greenblatt conceived of a project, based on genetic interactions between the virus and its human host cells, that might lead to the identification of a target for a drug that could be used to kill cells infected by EBV and thereby prevent or treat MS and possibly cancers also caused by EBV. This project is strongly motivated by the possibility of discovering a drug that could be used to treat MS. 

What is the focus of your research? How did you become interested in MS research? 

The research in my laboratory has always focused on mechanisms that regulate gene expression. We have also studied protein-protein interactions and genetic interactions in the context of furthering understanding of gene regulation. We have been using viruses as one of our model systems to understand gene regulation, and have specifically been using EBV, which causes about 2% of human cancers, as such a model for 20 years in collaboration with Lori Frappier. After it was shown in 2022 that EBV is an essential cause of MS, entirely new avenues for preventing or treating MS became plausible, and I realized that we could use our expertise on EBV and the identification of genetic interactions to potentially identify one or more targets for drugs that might be used to prevent or treat MS.

What inspires you to continue advancing research in this field?

Our inspiration is simply that we might be able to identify a drug that specifically kills human cells that are infected with EBV and, therefore, might be used to cure or improve the lives of people suffering from MS. 

How do you hope to change the lives of people living with MS through your research?

If we are successful in identifying a drug that can be used to prevent and/or treat MS, the lives of people living with MS will be improved immeasurably. At the very least, we expect to further understand the relationship between EBV and MS in ways that might enable other scientists to prevent MS or improve the lives of people living with MS.

What do you enjoy most about your research? What are some of the challenges you face?

I have always been fascinated by the prospect of furthering understanding of gene regulation. Humans have hundreds of different kinds of cells, and yet they all have the same genes. It is the different ways they regulate their genes that makes them different. Fortunately, I have been able to acquire research funding for nearly 50 years to support our studies on fundamental aspects of gene regulation. 

It has also been obvious for over 50 years that aberrations in gene regulation might lead to various diseases, especially cancer, and so the understanding of disease mechanisms was also a strong motivation for my research. Doing research on MS was, however, completely new for my laboratory, and so acquiring funding to support our MS research was a potential obstacle. 

How important is the support from MS Canada in your research?

MS Canada is currently the sole funder for our MS research.