Dr Valerie Odon

Lecturer

Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

Contact

Personal statement

My research explores how RNA viruses evolve and adapt within the complex environment of the host cell. I focus on the selective pressures that shape viral genomes, particularly dinucleotide composition and the molecular strategies viruses employ to evade innate immunity and rewire host metabolism. By combining molecular virology, proteomics, and systems-level analysis, I aim to uncover fundamental rules of viral persistence, replication dynamics, and immune escape.

I am especially interested in long-tailed infection behaviours and the application of the Planck–Shannon framework to viral evolution, as well as in identifying novel host proteins that restrict viral RNA based on sequence composition. My work spans multiple viral systems, including alphaviruses, flaviviruses, and picornaviruses, and extends to mosquito-borne transmission models.

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Publications

Comparison of CpG-and UpA-mediated restriction of RNA virus replication in mammalian and avian cells and investigation of potential ZAP-mediated shaping of host transcriptome compositions
Odon Valerie, Fiddaman Steven R, Smith Adrian L, Simmonds Peter
RNA - A Publication of the RNA Society Vol 28, pp. 1089-1109 (2022)
https://doi.org/10.1261/rna.079102.122
The role of ZAP and OAS3/RNAseL pathways in the attenuation of an RNA virus with elevated frequencies of CpG and UpA dinucleotides
Odon Valerie, Fros Jelke J, Goonawardane Niluka, Dietrich Isabelle, Ibrahim Ahmad, Alshaikhahmed Kinda, Nguyen Dung, Simmonds Peter
Nucleic Acids Research Vol 47, pp. 8061-8083 (2019)
https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkz581
Low expression of EXOSC2 protects against clinical COVID-19 and impedes SARS-CoV-2 replication
Moll Tobias, Odon Valerie, Harvey Calum, Collins Mark O, Peden Andrew, Franklin John, Graves Emily, Marshall Jack NG, dos Santos Souza Cleide, Zhang Sai, Castelli Lydia, Hautbergue Guillaume, Azzouz Mimoun, Gordon David, Krogan Nevan, Ferraiuolo Laura, Snyder Michael P, Shaw Pamela J, Rehwinkel Jan, Cooper-Knock Johnathan
Life Science Alliance Vol 6 (2022)
https://doi.org/10.26508/lsa.202201449
Effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 strain variation on virus neutralization titers : therapeutic use of convalescent plasma.
Nguyen Dung, Xiao Julie, Simmonds Peter, Lamikanra Abigail, Odon Valerie, Ratcliff Jeremy, Townsend Alain, Roberts David J, Harvala Heli
Journal of Infectious Diseases Vol 225, pp. 971-976 (2022)
https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiab563
Detection of neutralising antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 to determine population exposure in Scottish blood donors between March and May 2020
, Thompson Craig P, Grayson Nicholas E, Paton Robert S, Bolton Jai S, Lourenço José, Penman Bridget S, Lee Lian N, Odon Valerie, Mongkolsapaya Juthathip, Chinnakannan Senthil, Dejnirattisai Wanwisa, Edmans Matthew, Fyfe Alex, Imlach Carol, Kooblall Kreepa, Lim Nicholas, Liu Chang, López-Camacho César, McInally Carol, McNaughton Anna L, Ramamurthy Narayan, Ratcliff Jeremy, Supasa Piyada, Sampson Oliver, Wang Beibei, Mentzer Alexander J, Turner Marc, Semple Malcolm G, Baillie Kenneth, Harvala Heli, Screaton Gavin R, Temperton Nigel, Klenerman Paul, Jarvis Lisa M, Gupta Sunetra, Simmonds Peter
Eurosurveillance Vol 25 (2020)
https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.42.2000685
A functional investigation of the suppression of CpG and UpA dinucleotide frequencies in plant RNA virus genomes
Ibrahim Ahmad, Fros Jelke, Bertran Andre, Sechan Ferdyansyah, Odon Valerie, Torrance Leslie, Kormelink Richard, Simmonds Peter
Scientific Reports Vol 9 (2019)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-54853-0

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Professional Activities

EPSRC Scoping Worskhop (Critical mass)
Participant
30/1/2025

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Projects

Stratified CpG Virotherapy for ZAP-Suppressed Cancers
Odon, Valerie (Principal Investigator)
01-Jan-2026 - 31-Jan-2027
A CpG-Driven Oncolytic Virus for ZAP-Deficient Cancers (Seedcorn Awards 2025)
Odon, Valerie (Principal Investigator)
01-Jan-2025 - 30-Jan-2026

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Contact

Dr Valerie Odon
Lecturer
Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

Email: valerie.odon@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 548 3823