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Research Interests:
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Research in my laboratory is directed at understanding host-pathogen interactions of tick-transmitted obligate intracellular bacteria, with emphasis on Ehrlichia chaffeensis the etiologic agent of human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis, an emerging and potentially fatal tick-borne infectious disease, and E. canis, the etiologic agent of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, a severe and sometimes fatal disease of dogs. The long term goal my research is to develop effective prophylactic subunit vaccines for ehrlichioses of human and veterinary medical importance. Ehrlichia spp. are not well characterized, thus our recent efforts have been directed toward the identification and characterization of immunoreactive surface proteins as candidates for first generation subunit vaccines and improved immunodiagnostics. We have recently identified and characterized two ehrlichial glycoproteins, which are among the first glycoproteins described in pathogenic bacteria. These include surface glycoproteins gp120 and gp200 of E. chaffeensis, and the corresponding orthologs in E. canis (gp140 and gp200). We hypothesize these novel proteins are important in the pathogen-host interaction, pathogenesis of disease, and targets of a protective host immune response. My current and future research focus is to better understand the mechanisms and role of ehrlichial surface glycoproteins in host cell interactions, pathogenesis (modulin activity), defining protective immune responses against these strongly immunoreactive surface antigens, and the development of glycoprotein based subunit vaccines. Research on ehrlichial glycoproteins and development of a model system based on the gp120 and gp200 will provide valuable information that may be applicable to our overall understanding of bacterial glycoproteins, particularly related to pathogenesis, immunity and vaccine development.
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