Sergio Covarrubias
Diabetes Center
University of California
San Francisco
513 Parnassus Ave.
HSW 1047
San Francisco, CA 94143-0534
Curriculum Vitae
cell phone: 213-271-0156
lab phone: (415) 476-1114
scovarrubias@diabetes.ucsf.edu
EDUCATION
RESEARCH

Ph.D. Infectious Diseases and Immunity
University of California, Berkeley (2012).

B.S. Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
University of California, Los Angeles (2005).

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Diabetes Center
UC San Francisco
Mentor: Michael T. McManus
Project: Exploring novel pathways involved in beta cell dysfunction, which is
a major contributor in the development of diabetes.

Graduate Student, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology,
UC Berkeley
Mentor: Britt A. Glaunsinger
Project: Uncovering the Mechanism of Cellular mRNA Targeting by the
Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) Viral Protein SOX.
(2006-present)

Undergraduate Student Researcher, Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
University of California, Los Angeles.
Mentor: Guillaume Chanfreau
Project: To uncover the molecular basis of the rnt1 deletion in yeast, an
RNaseIII encoding gene, which results in temperature sensitivity and a slow
growing phenotype. (2003-2005)

Marta Maria Gaglia, Sergio Covarrubias, Wesley Wong, Britt A.
Glaunsinger. 2012. A common strategy for host RNA degradation by
divergent viruses. J Virol. 86:9527-30.

Covarrubias, S., M. Gaglia, G. R. Kumar, W. Wong, A. O. Jackson and B.
A. Glaunsigner. 2011. Coordinated Destruction of Cellular Messages in
Translation Complexes by the Gammaherpesvirus Host Shutoff Factor and
the Mammalian Exonuclease Xrn1. PLoS Pathog.
PUBLICATIONS
Sergio Covarrubias
Curriculum Vitae

Richner J. M., K. Clyde, A. C. Pezda, B. Y. H. Cheng, G. R. Kumar, S.
Covarrubias, L. Coscoy, and B. A. Glaunsinger. 2011. Global mRNA
Degradation during Lytic Gammaherpesvirus Infection Is Critical for Latency
Establishment. PLoS Pathog.

Covarrubias, S., J. M. Richner, K. Clyde, Y. J. Lee, and B. A. Glaunsinger.
2009. Host shutoff is a conserved phenotype of gammaherpesvirus infection
and is orchestrated exclusively from the cytoplasm. J Virol 83:9554-66.
(Faculty of 1000 “Must Read”)
PRESENTATIONS:
ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Covarrubias, S., M.M. Gaglia and B. Glaunsinger. The Gammaherpesvirus
SOX Protein Targets Translationally Competent Cellular mRNAs for
Destruction. American Society for Virology (ASV). Minneappolis, MN July
2011.

Covarrubias, S., and B. Glaunsinger. The Gammaherpesvirus SOX Protein
Targets Cellular mRNA in Polyribosomes and Initiates Degradation CoTranslationally. International Worshop on Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated
Herpesvirus and Related Agents. Los Angeles, California August 2010.

Covarrubias, S., M.M. Gaglia and B. Glaunsinger. Co-Translational
Degradation of Cellular mRNAs by the Herpesviral SOX Protein Involves the
Xrn1 Ribonuclease. Annual Meeting of the RNA Society. Seattle,
Washington June 2010.

Covarrubias, S., G.R. Kumar and B. Glaunsinger. Translation is required for
Cellular mRNA Degradation by the Herpesvirus Viral Protein SOX. Plant
and Microbial Biology Seminar Series. Berkeley, California October 2009.

Covarrubias, S., G.R. Kumar and B. Glaunsinger. Gamma Herpesviruses
Target Translating Cellular mRNAs For Degradation. Eukaryotic mRNA
Processing Meeting. Cold Spring Harbor, New York August 2009.
POSTERS

Covarrubias, S., M.M. Gaglia and B. Glaunsinger. The Gammaherpesvirus
SOX Protein Targets Translationally Competent Cellular mRNAs for
Destruction During Early Stages of Translation Initiation. Bay Area RNA
Club (BARC). San Francisco, CA Jan 2012.

Covarrubias, S., M.M. Gaglia and B. Glaunsinger. Translation-linked
Degradation of Cellular mRNAs by the Herpesviral SOX Protein. Bay Area
Virology Symposium. UC Berkeley, CA May 2011.

Covarrubias, S., G.R. Kumar and B. Glaunsinger. Gamma Herpesviruses
Host Shutoff Proteins Target Translating Cellular mRNAs For Degradation.
Sergio Covarrubias
Curriculum Vitae
Kaposi Sarcoma associated Herpesvirus Meeting. Charleston, South
Carolina September 2009.

Covarrubias, S. and B. Glaunsinger. Uncovering the Mechanism and
Regulation of Host mRNA Shutoff by Gamma Herpesviruses. International
Herpesvirus Worshop. Estoril, Portugal July 2008
AWARDS AND HONORS

UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship 2013-2015

Irving Wiesenfeld Graduate Fellowship, 2011.

Beattie Memorial Award for excellence in laboratory research, 2011.

Krueger Memorial Fellowship for outstanding research accomplishments by
a doctoral student, 2010.

U.C. Dissertation-Year Fellowship, 2010 (award declined).

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award training grant, UC
Berkeley, 2010.

Finalist for the Ford Foundation Fellowship, 2008.

Chancellor Diversity Fellowship, 2006.
MENTORING AND TEACHING

Zoe Davis, Rotation Student, 2011.

Kevin Kleffman, Undergraduate Student, 2010-present.

Graduate Student Instructor, Public Health Immunology PH263, 2010.

Mao Taketani, Rotation Student, 2010.

Dr. Marta M. Gaglia, Post-Doc, 2009.

Graduate Student Instructor, Immunology Laboratory MCB150L, 2008.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Graduate Student Faculty Representative, Plant & Microbial Biology
Department, UC Berkeley, 2010-11

Chair, Microbiology Student Group, UC Berkeley, 2010-11

Organizer of Microbiology Student Group Symposium, UC Berkeley, 20062012
Sergio Covarrubias
Curriculum Vitae
REFERENCES
Britt Glaunsinger, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Plant &Microbial
Pr Professor
Biology
Department.
University of California,
Berkeley
glaunsinger@berkeley.edu
510-642-5427
Andrew O. Jackson, Ph.D.
Professor
Plant & Microbial Biology
Department
University of California,
Berkeley
andyoj@berkeley.edu
510-642-3906
Guillaume Chanfreau, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry
University of California, Los
Angeles
guillom@chem.ucla.edu
310-825-4399