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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....

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...

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.

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...

Spring 2010

Bergeron, Amber

These two studies investigate the immune responses of lung and kidney transplant recipients to the influenza vaccine. The study involving kidney transplant recipients developed a novel flow cytometry assay to measure cell-mediated immunity in response to influenza vaccination. The activation of...

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 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 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...

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...