Search

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...

Spring 2022

Schaffrick, Lindy M

Background:There are over 11 million people hospitalized for burns annually according to the World Health Organization, resulting in painful skin scar contractures and restricted movements, as well as mental and physical stresses. Up to 70% of deep dermal injury result in hypertrophic scars,...

Fall 2021

Vallee, Gregory Thomas

Poxviruses encode many genes that are orthologs of cellular genes. These orthologs serve many functions, but those that are of most interest are ones that have evolved further and now serve an immune-evasion function. Such genes were likely first acquired by poxviruses through some form of...

Fall 2020

Rubino, Ilaria

Infectious respiratory diseases, caused by viruses and bacteria that attack the respiratory system, constitute a serious threat in public health around the world. Pathogens can be transmitted in the air though large droplets or aerosols. As aerosols can linger in the environment for a prolonged...

Spring 2020

Griffiths, Cameron

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a ubiquitous respiratory pathogen that infects almost everyone by the age of two. In high-risk populations, such as infants and elderly individuals, RSV can infect the lower respiratory tract and cause severe symptoms, such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia. As a...

Spring 2019

Jensen, Lionel D

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an Orthopneumovirus that infects the epithelium of the airways. Severe RSV infection of the lower respiratory tract in infants is a leading cause of pediatric hospitalizations. RSV also causes substantial morbidity in immunocompromised and elderly populations....

Spring 2014

Skappak, Christopher Dustin

This thesis examines the pathophysiology of asthma, attempts to determine the cellular mechanisms behind viral-induced immune memory mediated asthma exacerbations, and investigates urinary metabolomic biomarkers of asthma and neonatal hypoxia.

Fall 2014

Reich, Krista, M

Vitamin D is an important immunomodulator of the immune system and has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Drugs targeting TNF-alpha are effective IBD therapies, and vitamin D has been demonstrated to suppress TNF-alpha as well as work...

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 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...