Education
Ph.D, Immunology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 1989
B.A, Microbiology, Franklin Pierce College, Rindge, New Hampshire, 1984
Areas of Expertise
- Immunology
- Immunology and Infectious Disease
- Infectious Diseases
- Vaccinology
- Virology
Honors, Awards, and Achievements
1990-1993 – Postdoctoral Fellow, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
1993-1995 – Research Associate, Dept. Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
1995-1997 – Senior Associate, Dept. Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
1997-2003 – Section Chief, Respiratory and Enteric Viruses Branch, CDC, Atlanta
2004-present – Professor and Georgia Research Alliance Chair of Vaccine and Therapeutic Studies, UGA
2006-present – Adjunct Professor, Centre for Molecular Sciences, University Canberra Australia
2007-present – Adjunct Professor, University of Liverpool, School of Infection & Host Defense
2007-present – Adjunct Professor, Griffith University, Queensland Australia
2007-present – UGA Principal, NIAID Center of Excellence for Influenza Research & Surveillance
2012-present – Adjunct Professor, Molecular & Medical Research, Deakin University, Australia
2019-present – Editor-in-Chief, Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X)
Research Interests
My research interest is to develop translational disease intervention approaches for respiratory viruses. The proposal “Preclinical optimization of SARS-CoV-2 PLpro lead candidates” fits naturally into this interest. I am excited to further Pegan and my existing collaboration that has already generated the recently published article on disrupting SARS-CoV-2 replication through inhibition of its papain-like protease. My laboratory investigates the mechanisms of immunity and disease pathogenesis associated with respiratory virus infection to understand the functional differences between innate and adaptive immune responses that provide the foundation necessary to facilitate vaccine and antiviral therapeutics. We also examine the disease pathogenesis and the regulatory pathways connecting small noncoding RNAs to host gene expression. I am a viral immunologist trained by Laureate Professor Peter C. Doherty, and have led research teams at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the University of Georgia.
Selected Publications
See my Publications at the links below:
Grant Support
R01 AI143865-01A1
Structural and mechanistic insights into antibody neutralization of human metapneumovirus
The major goals of this project are to determine the human humoral immune response to the F protein of human metapneumovirus.
HHSN272001400004C
Emory/UGA Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance
The major goals of this project are the surveillance and investigations of swine immune responses to virus infection.
HHSN272001400004C
Emory/UGA Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance
Emory-UGA CEIRS: A machine learning approach to detect emerging SIVs, Part 1 (Option 11A)
R56 AI1141537
Structure-guided design of a safe and effective Respiratory Syncytial Virus G protein immunogen
R44AI22360
Therapeutic Antibody for RSV IIB
Georgia Emergency Management Agency
Advancing RT-LAMP as a a point of care colorimetric assay for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) detection
Karyopharn Therapeutics
COVID-19 related research project
R01 AI146857
Dual oxidase and lactoperoxidase in influenza infection
The objective of this proposal is to determine and characterize the antiviral role of Duox1 and LPO against influenza in multiple experimental systems.
