Headshot of Ms.Abigail Whitford

Ms. Abigail Whitford

Adjunct Instructor of Biology
Curriculum Vitae

  • Profile

    Abigail Whitford is an adjunct professor in the biology department at the University of Richmond. She received a B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology from Centre College, an M.S. in biological sciences from the University of Virginia, and is currently finishing her Ph.D. in microbiology, immunology, and cancer biology at the University of Virginia. At the University of Virginia, her research focuses on how immune signaling at the onset of neuronal herpes simplex virus infection impacts the epigenetic structure of the viral genome, contributing to the viral senescent state known as latency. Abigail Whitford teaches Immunology at the University of Richmond.

  • Publications
    Journal Articles

    Francois A.K., Rohani A, Loftus M, Dochnal S, Hrit J, McFarlane S, Whitford A.L., Lewis A, Krakowiak P, Boutell C, Rothbart SB, Kashatus D, Cliffe A.R. (2024) Single-genome analysis reveals heterogeneous association of the Herpes Simplex Virus genome with H3K27me2 and the reader PHF20L1 following infection of human fibroblasts. Mbio, e03278-23. (doi: 10.1128/mbio.03278-23) (PMID: 32753500)

    Dochnal, S. A., Whitford, A. L., Francois, A. K., Krakowiak, P. A., Cuddy, S. R., & Cliffe, A. R. (2023). c-Jun Signaling During Initial HSV-1 Infection Modulates Latency to Enhance Later Reactivation in addition to Directly Promoting the Progression to Full Reactivation. Journal of Virology, 98(1) (doi: 10.1128/jvi.01764-23) (PMID: 38193709) (Selected as Editor’s Choice).

    Zubković A, Gomes C, Parchure A, Cesarec M, Ferenčić A, Rokić F, Jakovac H, Whitford AL, Dochnal SA, Cliffe AR, Cuculić D, Gallo A, Vugrek O, Hackenberg M, Jurak I. (2023). HSV-1 miRNAs are post-transcriptionally edited in latently infected human ganglia. Journal of Virology. 97(10). (doi: 10.1128/jvi.00730-23) (PMID: 37712701) (Selected as Editor’s Choice).

    Whitford, A.L., Clinton, C.A., Kennedy, E.B.L., Dochnal, S.A., Suzich, J.B., and Cliffe, A.R. (2022). Ex Vivo Herpes Simplex Virus Reactivation Involves a DLK-Dependent Wave of Lytic Gene Expression that is Independent of Histone Demethylase Activity and Viral Genome Synthesis. Journal of Virology. 96(12). (doi:10.1128/jvi.00475-22) (PMID: 35604215) (Selected as Editor’s Choice).

    Whitford, A.L., & Cliffe, A.R. (2022). Key questions on the epigenetics of herpes simplex virus latency. PLoS Pathogens, 18(6). (doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010587) (PMID: 35772067)