College of Veterinary Medicine

Laura C. Millerlaura miller

Associate Professor
Veterinary Virology

Ph.D. (2001), University of Reading / Institute for Animal Health Pirbright, UK
B.Sc. Hons. (1997), University of Edinburgh, UK
President, American Association of Veterinary Immunologists (2016 & 2023)

Phone: (785) 532-4818
Fax: (785) 532-4039
Mosier K242/K237
Email: lauracmiller@vet.k-state.edu
lauramiller@ksu.edu

Research

My research interests include viral disease concerns for the U.S. swine industry, e.g., porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), Senecavirus A (SVA), swine enteric coronaviruses (SECV), as well as potential emerging livestock diseases. Specifically, I evaluate the host response to swine viruses and collaborate as part of a team to identify mechanisms to modulate innate and adaptive immune responses to swine viral pathogens using methodology that combines in vitro and in vivo studies using both cutting-edge and classical techniques to: 1) identify genes involved in the host response to infection, including coding and non-coding RNA library construction, high-throughput genomic sequencing, porcine whole genome sequence analyses, and real-time (reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR]); 2) application of novel immunological assay systems to determine the components of the porcine immune system involved in response to pathogen insult identifying patterns, changes, or genes of interest in metagenomic or genomic data.

My short-term goals are to develop new, or modify established, techniques to characterize the host response to swine viruses at the molecular and cellular levels; to analyze the massive datasets generated by high-throughput genomic experiments and to apply this knowledge towards high-impact products such as the design of novel vaccines and other disease intervention strategies. This research is complex in nature and involves integration of concepts and approaches from molecular biology, immunology and genetic theory to delivering cutting-edge, scientific tools and innovative solutions for American farmers, producers, industry, and communities.

My long-term goal is to advance the understanding of the genetic component of disease expression in livestock. The goal is to utilize cutting-edge technologies to investigate livestock diseases and how the pathogen alters the host’s immune response. This will enable efficient production of animal protein for a growing global population. Animal health is one of the most volatile costs in the efficient production of livestock and research to improve animal health helps to ultimately feed the world.

Teaching

Coordinate a team-taught Veterinary Virology course to the sophomore DVM students and a team-taught graduate course in Viral Pathogenesis.

Selected Publications

Li J., Sang E.R., Adeyemi O., Miller L.C., and Sang Y. Comparative transcriptomics reveals small RNA composition and differential microRNA responses underlying interferon-mediated antiviral regulation in porcine alveolar macrophages. Front Immunol. 2022 Oct 28;13:1016268. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1016268.

Fleming D.S., Miller L.C., Li J., Van Geelen A. and Sang Y. Transcriptomic analysis of liver indicates novel vaccine to porcine reproductive and respiratory virus promotes homeostasis in T-cell and inflammatory immune responses compared to commercial vaccine in pigs. Front. Vet. Sci. 9:791034. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.791034. 2022.

Sui, C., Jiang, D., Wu, X., Liu, S., Li, F., Pan, L., Cong, X., Li, J., Yoo, D., Rock, D.L., Miller, L.C., Lee, C., Du, Y., and Qi, J. Inhibition of antiviral innate immunity by Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Lpro through interaction with N-terminal domain of swine RNase L. Journal of Virology. https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.00361-21. 2021.

Sang, Y., Miller, L.C., Nelli, R.K., Giménez-Lirola, L.G. Harness Organoid Models for Virological Studies in Animals: A Cross-Species Perspective. Front Microbiol. 2021 Sep 16;12:725074. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2021.725074. 2021.

Fleming, D.S., Miller, L.C., Tian, Y., Li, Y., Ma, W., Sang, Y. Impact of porcine arterivirus, influenza B, and their coinfection on antiviral response in the porcine lung. Pathogens. 9(11): 934. 2020.

Sang, E.R.; Tian, Y.; Miller, L.C., Sang, Y. Epigenetic Evolution of ACE2 and IL-6 Genes: Non-canonical interferon-stimulated genes correlate to COVID-19 susceptibility in vertebrates. Genes 2021, 12, 154. 2021.

Sang, E.R., Tian, Y., Gong, Y., Miller, L.C., Sang, Y. Integrate structural analysis, Isoform diversity, and interferon-inductive propensity of ACE2 to refine SARS-CoV2 susceptibility prediction in vertebrates. Heliyon. e04818. 2020.

Miller, L.C., Fleming, D.S., and Lager, K. Comparison of the transcriptome response within the tracheobronchial lymphnode following infection with PRRSV, PCV2 or IAV-S. Pathogens 9 (2), 99. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens9020099 . 2020.

Fleming, D.S. and Miller L.C. Differentially expressed miRNAs and tRNA genes effect host homeostasis during highly pathogenic PRRSV infections in young pigs. Frontiers in Genetics. – Livestock Genomics 10:69 https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2019.00691. 2019.

Shields, L.E., Jennings, J., Liu, Q., Lee, J., Ma, W., Blecha, F., Miller, L.C., and Sang, Y. Cross-Species Genome-Wide Analysis Reveals Molecular and Functional Diversity of the Unconventional Interferon-ω Subtype. Frontiers in Immunology 10. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01431. 2019.

Fleming, D.S. and Miller, L.C. Identification of small non-coding RNA classes expressed in swine whole blood during HP-PRRSV infection. Virology S0042-6822(18)30033-3. 2018.

Miller, L.C., Fleming, D.S., Li, X., Bayles, D.O., Blecha, F., and Sang, Y. Comparative analysis of signature genes in PRRSV-infected porcine monocyte-derived cells at different stimuli. PLoS One 12(7):e01981256. 2017.

Liu, Q., Miller, L.C., Rowland, R.R.R., Blecha, F., and Sang, Y. Reduction of infection by inhibiting mTOR pathway is associated with reversed repression of type I interferon by porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus. J. Gen. Virol. 98(6):1316-1328. 2017.

Sang, Y., Miller, L.C. and Blecha, F. Macrophage polarization in virus-host interactions. J. Clin. Cell. Immunol. 6:2. 2015.

Miller L.C., Jiang, Z., Sang, Y., Harhay, G.P. and Lager, K.M. Evolutionary characterization of pig interferon-inducible transmembrane gene family and member expression dynamics in tracheobronchial lymph nodes of pigs infected with swine respiratory disease viruses. Vet. Immunol. Immunopathol. 159(3-4):180-191. 2014.

Jiang, Z., Zhou, X., Michal, J.J., Wu, X.L., Zhang, L., Zhang, M., Ding, B., Liu, B., Manoranjan, V.S., Neill, J.D., Harhay, G.P., Kehrli, Jr., M.E. and Miller, L.C. Reactomes of porcine alveolar macrophages infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus. PLoS One 8:e59229. 2013.

Chitko-McKown, C.G., Chapes, S.K., Miller, L.C., Riggs, P.K., Ortega, M.T., Green, B.T. and McKown, R.D. Development and characterization of two porcine monocyte-derived macrophage cell lines. Results Immunol. 3:26-32. 2013.

Miller, L.C., Fleming, D.S, Arbogast, A., Bayles, D.O., Guo, B., Lager, K.M., Henningson, J.N., Schlink, S.N., Yang, H., Faaberg, K.S. and Kehrli, Jr., M.E. Analysis of the swine tracheobronchial lymphnode transcriptomic response to infection with a Chinese highly pathogenic strain of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus. BMC Vet. Res. 8(1):208. 2012.

Miller, L.C., Lager, K.M. and Kehrli, M.E. Role of Toll-like receptors in activation of porcine alveolar macrophages by porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus. Clin. Vaccine Immunol. 16:360-365. 2009.

Miller, L.C. and Fox, J.M. Apoptosis and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus. Vet. Immunol. Immunopathol. 102(3):131-142. 2004.

Miller, L.C., Laegreid, W.W., Bono, J.L., Chitko-McKown, C.G. and Fox, J.M. Interferon type I response in porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus-infected MARC-145 cells. Arch. Virol. 149(12):2453-2463. 2004.

Miller, L.C., Blakemore, W., Sheppard, D., Atakilit, A., King, A.M.Q. and Jackson, T. Role of the cytoplasmic domain of the β-subunit of integrin αvβ6 in infection by foot-and-mouth disease virus. J. Virol. 75(9):4158-4164. 2001.