Human herpesviruses (HHVs) are among the most pervasive and biologically complex viral families, characterized by latent persistence, broad tissue tropism, and diverse pathogenic potential. Research and preclinical development targeting HHVs demand robust virological systems that can accurately recapitulate viral replication, latency, reactivation, and host interactions. At CD BioSciences, our Virus Isolation & Culture Platform provides a specialized, high-fidelity foundation for isolating, amplifying, and characterizing HHVs across all subfamilies—Alpha-, Beta-, and Gamma-herpesviruses.
This platform is essential for clients involved in antiviral drug development, vaccine research, viral diagnostics, and pathogenesis studies. By combining virology expertise, optimized cell culture systems, and advanced detection technologies, CD BioSciences enables researchers to access high-quality, scalable, and well-characterized HHV materials for their scientific and translational needs.
Platform Overview
Our Virus Isolation & Culture Platform is built to support the entire workflow from clinical or laboratory specimen to fully characterized viral stocks. Key components of the platform include:
Clinical and Research Sample Processing
- Specimen Types: Blood, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, tissue biopsies, swabs (oral/genital/ocular), and cell suspensions.
- Decontamination and Pre-treatment: Removal of contaminants (e.g., bacteria, fungi), lysis of host cells, and concentration of viral particles while preserving infectivity.
- Biosafety Compliance: BSL-2+/BSL-3 protocols for safe handling of HHVs with oncogenic potential (e.g., EBV, KSHV).
Virus Isolation & Primary Culture Systems
- Customized Host Cell Lines: CD BioSciences maintains a panel of HHV-permissive cell lines including:
» Vero, MRC-5, HFF for Alpha-herpesviruses (e.g., HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV)
» ARPE-19, HEK293, HUVEC for Beta-herpesviruses (e.g., CMV, HHV-6/7)
» BCBL-1, BJAB, Raji, SLK for Gamma-herpesviruses (e.g., EBV, KSHV)
- Latency-Supportive Systems: Specialized conditions to establish or maintain latency in vitro for key research use cases (e.g., EBV latent infection in B cells, KSHV latency in PEL cells).
Virus Amplification and Stock Production
- Low-Passage Amplification: Viral stocks are produced under conditions that minimize genetic drift and preserve native tropism.
- Titering and Standardization: Viral titers are quantified using plaque assays, TCID₅₀, immunofluorescence assays (IFA), or qPCR.
- Aliquoting and Cryopreservation: Long-term storage in aliquots under strict QC controls.
Characterization and Quality Control
- Morphology & Identity Verification: Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), immunostaining, and PCR-based genotyping.
- Contamination Testing: Mycoplasma, endotoxin, and sterility testing.
- Phenotypic Analysis: Cytopathic effect (CPE), syncytia formation, latency/reactivation markers, and immunogenicity signatures.
Core Applications and Services Enabled by the Platform
Our Virus Isolation & Culture Platform is the gateway to a range of customized research and preclinical services for HHV-focused clients:
Custom HHV Isolation Services
Clients can submit biological specimens (clinical or animal-derived) for custom HHV isolation, with full support from virus detection to recovery of infectious particles.
Propagation of Viral Strains and Mutants
We support the expansion of wild-type, engineered, or patient-derived HHV strains, with batch-specific QC and titer normalization to support assay development or animal challenge studies.
Latent Virus Reservoir Modeling
CD BioSciences offers latency culture models—especially for EBV and KSHV—to investigate viral gene expression regulation, latency maintenance, and reactivation dynamics.
Reactivation Protocols
We develop and optimize chemical, cytokine, or stress-induced reactivation protocols tailored to specific HHV types to simulate clinical scenarios of viral reactivation in vitro.
Virus Banking and Distribution
Clients can securely bank HHV strains with us and request high-quality, ready-to-use stocks for longitudinal research programs or preclinical screening.
Why Choose CD BioSciences?
- HHV Specialization
Our platform is purpose-built for all nine known human herpesviruses. Unlike general virology service providers, we offer lineage-specific protocols, cell systems, and characterization techniques optimized for the herpesvirus family.
- Integrated Preclinical Pipeline
Our culture capabilities interface seamlessly with downstream services including:
- Viral genome engineering
- High-throughput screening
- In vitro & in vivo efficacy studies
- Immune profiling
This integration reduces variability and accelerates your R&D workflows.
- High-Quality Standards
All viral preparations undergo rigorous quality control to ensure consistency, safety, and reproducibility. Custom reports and certificates of analysis (COAs) are provided upon request.
- Confidential and Collaborative Approach
Client IP and sample materials are handled under strict confidentiality. We also support collaborative model development and co-publication arrangements for academic and industry partners.
Use Cases and Client Profiles
Biotech & Pharma
Early-stage antiviral screening, vaccine immunogen testing, and engineered viral vector validation.
Academic Institutions
Mechanistic virology, viral latency studies, and molecular pathogenesis research.
Diagnostics Developers
Viral antigen production and diagnostic assay calibration.
Contract Research Organizations (CROs)
Outsourced viral propagation and preclinical study support.
References
- Whitley, R. J., & Roizman, B. (2001). Herpes simplex virus infections. The Lancet, 357(9267), 1513-1518.
- Mocarski, E. S., et al. (2021). Cytomegaloviruses. In: Fields Virology, 7th Ed.
- Dittmer, D. P., & Damania, B. (2016). Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus: immunobiology, oncogenesis, and therapy. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 126(9), 3165–3175.
- Pellet, P. E., & Roizman, B. (2007). The family Herpesviridae: a brief introduction. In: Fields Virology, 5th Ed.
- Lan, K., & Chen, J. (2023). KSHV latency and lytic reactivation: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities. Viruses, 15(2), 325.