College of Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Infectious Diseases Professor

Education

1997, PhD, Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis, Emory University, Atlanta, GA

1990, BS-Microbiology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL

Areas of Expertise
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Vaccinology
  • Virology
Honors, Awards, and Achievements

1997 – 1998 Postdoctoral Fellowship, Training Program in Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL.

1998 – 2001 Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, New York, NY. Mechanisms of epitope spreading in relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

2000 Gramm Travel Fellowship, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. Antigen presentation in the CNS is required for initiation of EAE, VIth International Congress of Neuroimmunology, Edinburgh, Scotland

2002 – 2005 ORISE Fellowship, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, ORAU. Mechanisms of immunodominance and heterosubtypic immunity in influenza virus infection

2004 Fellows Award for Research Excellence (FARE), National Institutes of Health Fellows Committee, the Scientific Directors, the Office of Research on Women’s Health, and the NIH Office of Education, Bethesda, MD. Protection against lethal influenza virus challenge by RNA interference in vivo.

2007 John M. Bowen Award for Excellence in Animal/Biomedical Research, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine

2007 Phi Zeta Veterinary Honor Society

2010 Special recognition for response efforts to 2009 influenza pandemic, NIAID

2012 – 2013 2012 Fulbright Senior Scholar, Australian-American Fulbright Commission

2017 Charles C. Shepard Laboratory Science Award, co-Author on publication entitled, “Engineering Enhanced Vaccine Cell Lines to Eradicate Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: the Polio End Game” Journal of Virology 90(4):1694-704

Other Recognition

2006 – 2007 Organizing Committee, Immunobiology of Influenza Virus Infection: Approaches for an Emerging Zoonotic Disease Conference, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. July 29 – August 1, 2007.

2007 – 2008 Organizing Committee and Session Co-chair, Immunobiology and Pathogenesis of Influenza Infection Conference, Emory Conference Center, Atlanta, GA June 1 – 3, 2008

2008 – 2009 Organizing Committee and Session Co-chair, Immunobiology and Pathogenesis of Influenza Infection Conference, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. July 26 – 28, 2009.

2011 Workshop Chair, American Society of Virology Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN. Topic:  Vaccines and Viral Vectors I: Influenza

2013 University of Georgia Career Center Recognition for greatly contributing to the career development of UGA students

2011 – 2014 Scientific Advisory Board, GTCbio RNAi Research & Therapeutics

2013 – 2015 Scientific Advisory Board, GTCbio Influenza Research & Development Conference

2013 – 2022 Board Member (Elected for third term), International Society of Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses

2014 Organizing Committee and Session Chair, 3rd Influenza Research and Development Conference Boston, MA, July 9 – 11, 2014

2015 Organizing Committee and Session Co-chair, 3rd International Symposium on Neglected Influenza Viruses, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. April 15 – 17, 2015

2016 Workshop Chair, American Society of Virology Annual Meeting, Blacksburg, VA. Topic: Virus-Host Interactions: Negative Strand RNA Viruses III

2016 Organizing Committee Chair, Science of Veterinary Medicine Symposium College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, October 13, 2016

2016 Plenary Chair, Options for the Control of Influenza Conference IX, Chicago, IL. Topic: Virology & Pathogenesis Featured Symposia: Pathogenesis

2017 – 2019 Scientific Executive Committee and Session Chair, Options for the Control of Influenza 2019, Singapore, August 28 – September 1, 2019

2018 – Expert Panel Member, National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, Division of Injury Compensation Programs (DICP), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

2018 Organizing Committee Chair, Science of Veterinary Medicine Symposium College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, October 11, 2018

2019 Virology and Pathogenesis Track Chair and Plenary Session Chair, Options for the Control of Influenza 2019, Singapore, August 28 – September 1, 2019

2023 Host and Meeting Chair, American Society of Virology Annual Meeting, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. (Announced by ASV in 2017)

Research Interests
  • Immune response to influenza virus infection
  • Development of novel vaccines and therapeutics for seasonal and pandemic influenza
  • Anti-viral RNA interference​
Selected Publications

View my publications here & here.

Grant Support

HHSN272201400004C (Orenstein) 4/24/20-4/24/2021 NIH/Emory-UGA CEIRS How does respiratory infection affect SARS-2 infection in ferrets?

The major goal of this project is to assess interference or increased susceptibility of ferrets infected with seasonal viruses and SARS-CoV-2

Role: Subaward PII/Project Lead

UGA Teaming for Interdisciplinary Research Program Award 1/1/20-6/1/20 CEIRR Proposal Team

Funds to support the organization, preparation, and submission of a Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response contract proposal to NIAID, collaborating with UGA faculty in the Colleges of Ecology, Public Health, Journalism, Arts and Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine. Collaborating scientists include faculty at the Australian Animal Health Laboratories, Harvard University, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, University of Connecticut, University of Melbourne, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, and University of Rochester.

Role: PI

HHS-NIH-NIAID-BAA2018, Research Area 003 (Ross) 9/1/19-8/31/26 NIH Title: Center for Influenza Vaccine Research for High Risk Populations

The proposed Center for Influenza Vaccine Research for High-Risk Populations (CIVR-HRP) will provide comprehensive assessment of broadly-protective or universal influenza vaccine candidates integrated with fundamental research on protective host responses that will provide insight into the mechanisms that drive vaccine effectiveness.

Role: Co-I

HHSN272201400004C (Orenstein) 4/1/14-3/31/2021 NIH/Emory-UGA CEIRS NIAID Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance 

The major goal of this contract is to understand how Swine Influenza Virus evolves in swine herds and crosses the animal-human interface.

Role: Subaward Co-I/Project Lead

R01AI130065 (Paust) 1/2017-12/31/21 NIH Mechanisms of Protection of Universal Therapeutic Antibodies to Influenza A

The main goal of this project is to develop a broadly cross-reactive, M2 specific monoclonal antibodies to prevent and/or treat influenza virus infection and elucidate their mechanism of action.

Role: Consortium PI

R25GM109435 (Tompkins, Dolan MPI) 6/1/2018-3/31/2023 NIH POST-BACCALAUREATE TRAINING IN INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH

The University of Georgia’s Post-baccalaureate Training in Infectious Diseases Research Program will provide intensive research training experiences to recent post-baccalaureate underrepresented minority and disabled students as an avenue for these students to gain the skills and attributes necessary for gaining admission to biomedical graduate programs and attaining success careers in biomedical research.

HHSN272201400004C (Orenstein) 9/1/18 – 8/31/20 NIH/Emory-UGA CEIRS  Immunological investigation of Vaccine-Associated Enhanced Respiratory Disease (VAERD) in the porcine model (Option 16B)

The goal of this project is to uncover the immunological causes of Vaccine-Associated Enhanced Respiratory Disease (VAERD) in the porcine model and to identify immunological correlates before and after vaccination that can be applied to humans.

Role: Subaward Co-I/Project Lead