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Fall 2010

Fagan-Garcia, Katharine

The classical Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway is an important regulator of inflammation and innate immune responses. Poxviruses, including vaccinia virus, encode multiple immune evasion proteins, including a growing number of NF-κB inhibitors. To determine if additional vaccinia...

Fall 2010

Marcet, Candy

Mast cells are immune cells important in innate immunity. Besides their role in asthma and allergies, mast cells are critical effector cells against various pathogens. Mast cells are established to be protective against bacterial infections, but little is known about their functions in viral...

Fall 2017

Speerstra, Sietske

Most antivirals target viral proteins and are specific for only one virus, or even one viral genotype. Whereas viral proteins are encoded in the plastic viral genome, virion lipids are not and their rearrangements during fusion of the virion envelope to cellular membranes are conserved among...

Spring 2016

Lin, Zhen

Analysis and interpretation of next generation sequencing data has posed a significant challenge to researchers, especially to those who are not equipped with expertise in bioinformatics. In this thesis, I investigated three different biomedical questions using NGS and bioinformatic approaches,...

Spring 2014

Urbanowski, Matthew D.

The introduction of WNV into North America in 1999 was followed by rapid spread throughout the continent. Today, WNV is an endemic pathogen in the west, with thousands of cases of severe infection reported annually. In addition to traditional vaccine research, there is an urgent need to...

Fall 2024

Luo, Shu Yue

Viral diseases are a constant threat that have profound impact on global health, economics and societies. Understanding virus-host interactions is key for advancing our knowledge of viral replication and pathogenesis, and thus for the development of effective antiviral strategies to better...

Fall 2015

Tetrault, David G

The influenza A viral RNA polymerase is responsible for viral replication and greatly affects influenza A virus (IAV) virulence and host range. The PB2 influenza polymerase subunit is the primary polymerase determinant of influenza host range and virulence. It was previously shown that PB2...

Fall 2015

Kumar, Ankit

Influenza is a major respiratory disease caused by influenza virus. Recent spread of the extremely pathogenic avian and swine influenza viruses paint a morbid picture of the emergence of a more lethal influenza virus in future. Currently, hypodermic needles are being dominantly employed in...

Fall 2012

Lau, Darren C H

While guidelines for seasonal influenza vaccinations single out working age (< 65) adults with diabetes, vaccination rates in this group remain below national targets. Historically, there has been limited evidence to support these guidelines. This dissertation comprises four studies investigating...

Spring 2013

Baluch, Aliyah

Immunogenicity of intramuscular influenza vaccine is suboptimal in organ transplant recipients although intradermal vaccine may be superior by targeting dermal dendritic cells to stimulate a response. 229 patients were randomized to IM or high-dose ID vaccine during the 2010-11 season. Pre- and...