Nikos Vasilakis, PhD

Nikos Vasilakis, PhD, FASTMH
Professor and
Vice Chair for Research

Department of Pathology
Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases
Center for Tropical Diseases
Institute for Human Infections and Immunity
CREATE-Neo
Center for Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

Phone: (409) 772-47-0650
Email: nivasila@utmb.edu
Lab Website

Nikos Vasilakis, PhD

    • Basic research on evolution and pathogenesis of arthropod-borne viruses, virus – mosquito, virus – host interactions and vaccine development
    • Role of viral intra-genic variation in transmission dynamics and emergence
    • Vaccine development
    • Discovery and characterization of novel/new viruses
  • BA Hofstra University Biology 1988
    MA Hofstra University Biology 1992
    PhD University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX Experimental Pathology 2007
    Postdoctoral University of Pittsburgh Vaccine Development 2009
  • 2001 Wyeth - Ayerst Research ‘Above and Beyond’ Award
    2006 Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges
    2007 Robert L. Harrison Award for Molecular/Cell Biology Research
    2007 American Society of Virology Travel Award to attend 26th ASV - Corvallis, OR
    2007 Dennis Bowman Memorial Scholarship Award
    2008 American Society of Virology Travel Award to attend XVIth ICV - Istambul
    2008 The Fine Foundation Scholar
    2008 American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Young Investigator Award
    2011 American Society of Virology Travel Award to attend XVth ICV – Sapporo
    2016 Researcher of the Year, Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch
    2016 Eagleson Lecture Award, presented by ABSA International at the 59th Annual Biosafety Conference
    2016 Fellow of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (FASTMH)
  • National
    1999-Present American Society for Virology, Full member
    2003-Present American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
    2003-Present American Society for Virology, Full member
    2003-Present American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
    2003-Present American Committee on Arthropod-borne Viruses (ACAV)
    2003-Present American Committee on Medical Entomology (ACME)
    2010-Present Subcommittee on the Interrelationships Among Catalogued Arboviruses (SIRACA)
    American Committee on Arthropod-borne Viruses (ACAV)
    2013-2017 Executive Committee Council, American Committee on Arthropod-borne Viruses (ACAV) (elected position)
    2015-2017 Chair, Executive Committee Council, American Committee on Arthropod-borne Viruses (ACAV)
    2016-Present Member, Task Force on Zika, Global Virus Network (GVN)
    2017-2020 Member, Digital Education Committee (DEC), American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
    2018-2021 Member, ASTMH Scientific Program Committee – Virology subcommittee, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
    International  
    2014 – 2020 International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses: Rhabdoviridae Study Group
    2014 – 2020 International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses: Nyamiviridae Study Group
    2014 – 2017 International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses: Mononegavirales Study Group
    2015 – 2020 International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses: Mesoniviridae Study Group
    1. Vasilakis, N.; Cardosa, J.; Diallo, M.; Sall, A.A.; Holmes, E.C.; Hanley, K.A.; Weaver, S.C. Sylvatic Dengue Viruses Share the Pathogenic Potential of Urban Dengue Viruses. J. Virol. 84:3726-3727; 2010 [PMID: 20212326]
    2. Vasilakis, N.; Deardorff, E.R.; Kenney, J.; Rossi, S.L.; Hanley, K.A.; Weaver, S.C. Mosquitoes Put the Brake on Evolution: Experimental Evolution Reveals Slower Mutation Accumulation in Mosquito Cells than Vertebrate Cells. PLoS Pathogens, 5(6):e1000467; 2009 [PMID: 19503824] [PMCID: PMC2685980]
    3. Tang, X.; Li, G.; Vasilakis, N.; Zhang, Y.; Shi, Z.; Zhong, Y.; Wang, L-F.; Zhang, S. Differential Stepwise Evolution of SARS Coronavirus Functional Proteins in Different Host Species. BMC Evol. Biol. 9:52; 2009 [PMID: 19261195][PMCID: PMC2676248]
    4. Vasilakis, N.; Durbin, A.; Travassos da Rosa, A.A.P.; Munoz-Jordan, J.; Tesh, R.B.; Weaver, S.C. Antigenic Relationships between Sylvatic and Endemic Dengue Viruses. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 79:128-132; 2008 [PMID: 18606776]
    5. Vasilakis, N.; Fokam, E.B.; Hanson, C.T.; Weinberg, E.; Sall, A.A.; Whitehead, S.S.; Hanley, K.A.; Weaver, S.C. Genetic and Phenotypic Characterization of Sylvatic Dengue Virus Type 2 Strains. Virology 377:296-307; 2008 [PMID: 18570968]
    6. Coffey, L.L.; Vasilakis, N.; Brault, A.C.; Powers, A.; Tripet, F.; Weaver, S.C. Arbovirus Evolution in vivo is Constrained by Host Alternation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105:6970 - 6975; 2008 [PMID: 18458341][PMCID: PMC2383930]
    7. Vasilakis, N.; Tesh, R.B.; Weaver, S.C. Sylvatic Dengue Virus Type 2 Activity in Humans, Nigeria, 1966. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 14:502 - 504; 2008 [PMID: 18325274][PMCID: PMC2570833]
    8. Vasilakis, N.; Holmes, E.C.; Fokam, E.B.; Faye, O.; Diallo, M.; Sall, A.A.; Weaver, S.C. Evolutionary Processes among Sylvatic Dengue-2 Viruses. J. Virol. 81:9591 - 9595; 2007 [PMID: 17553878][PMCID: 1951459]
    9. Vasilakis, N.; Shell, E.J.; Fokam, E.F.; Mason, P.W.; Hanley, K.A.; Estes, D.M.; Weaver, S.C.  Potential of Ancestral Dengue-2 Viruses to Re-emerge. Virology 358:402 - 412; 2007 [PMID: 17014880]
    10. Vasilakis, N.; Falvey, D.; Gangolli, S.; Coleman, J.; Kowalski, J.; Zamb, T.; Udem, S.A.; Kovacs, G.R. Transfection - independent Production of Alphavirus Replicon Particles Based on Poxvirus Expression Vectors. Nature Biotechnology 21:932 - 935; 2003 [PMID: 12845329]
    11. Kovacs, G.R.; Parks, C.L.; Vasilakis, N.; Udem, S.A. Enhancement of Genetic Rescues of a Mononegavirus Using a Novel Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara-T7 Polymerase Vector and DNA Replication Inhibitors.  J. Virol. Methods 111:29 - 36; 2003 [PMID: 12821194]
    12. Gangolli, S.G.; Vasilakis, N.; Kovacs, G.R.; Zamb, T.J.; Kowalski, J. A Method of Alphavirus Replicon Particle Titration Based on Expression of Functional Replicase/Transcriptase. J. Virol. Methods 109:133 - 138; 2003 [PMID: 12711055]
    13. Parks, C. L.; Wang, H.-P.; Kovacs, G. R.; Vasilakis, N.; Kowalski, J.; Nowak, R. M.; Lerch, R.A.; Walpita, P.; Sidhu, M.S.; Udem, S.A. Expression of a Foreign Gene by Recombinant Canine Distemper Virus Recovered from Cloned DNAs. Virus Research 83:131 - 147; 2002 [PMID: 11864746]
    14. Kovacs, G.R.; Vasilakis, N.; Moss, B. Regulation of Viral Intermediate Gene Expression by the Vaccinia Virus B1 Protein Kinase. J. Virol. 75: 4048 - 4055; 2001 [PMID: 11287554] [PMCID: 114150]

    Book Chapters:

    1. Vasilakis, N. and Weaver, S.C. (2008). The History and Evolution of Human Dengue Emergence. In: Maramorosch, K., Murphy, F.A. and Shatkin, A.J., Eds. Advances in Virus Research, vol. 72, pp. 1-76; Academic Press, Burlington, USA. ISBN: 978-0-12-374322-0 [PMID: 19081488]
    2. Vasilakis, N.; Hanley, K.A.; Weaver, S.C. (2010). Dengue Virus Emergence from its Sylvatic Cycle. In: "Frontiers in Dengue Virus Research” (Hanley, K.A. and Weaver, S.C., Eds). Caister Academic Press, Norwich, UK. ISBN: 978-1-904455-50-9

    NIH Biosketch

    Nature Reviews Microbiology: Fever from the forest: prospects for the continued emergence of sylvatic dengue virus and its impact on public health.
Nikos Vasilakis, PhD

Nikos Vasilakis, PhD, FASTMHProfessor and Vice Chair for Research

Department of Pathology
Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases
Center for Tropical Diseases
Institute for Human Infections and Immunity
Phone: (409) 747-0650
Lab: (409) 747-2420
Cell: (409) 771-2699
Email: nivasila@utmb.edu

Nikos Vasilakis Lab

Nikos Vasilakis, PhD

    • Basic research on evolution and pathogenesis of arthropod-borne viruses, virus – mosquito, virus – host interactions and vaccine development
    • Role of viral intra-genic variation in transmission dynamics and emergence
    • Vaccine development
    • Discovery and characterization of novel/new viruses
  • BA Hofstra University Biology 1988
    MA Hofstra University Biology 1992
    PhD University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX Experimental Pathology 2007
    Postdoctoral University of Pittsburgh Vaccine Development 2009
  • 2001 Wyeth - Ayerst Research ‘Above and Beyond’ Award
    2006 Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges
    2007 Robert L. Harrison Award for Molecular/Cell Biology Research
    2007 American Society of Virology Travel Award to attend 26th ASV - Corvallis, OR
    2007 Dennis Bowman Memorial Scholarship Award
    2008 American Society of Virology Travel Award to attend XVIth ICV - Istambul
    2008 The Fine Foundation Scholar
    2008 American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Young Investigator Award
    2011 American Society of Virology Travel Award to attend XVth ICV – Sapporo
    2016 Researcher of the Year, Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch
    2016 Eagleson Lecture Award, presented by ABSA International at the 59th Annual Biosafety Conference
    2016 Fellow of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (FASTMH)
  • National
    1999-Present American Society for Virology, Full member
    2003-Present American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
    2003-Present American Society for Virology, Full member
    2003-Present American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
    2003-Present American Committee on Arthropod-borne Viruses (ACAV)
    2003-Present American Committee on Medical Entomology (ACME)
    2010-Present Subcommittee on the Interrelationships Among Catalogued Arboviruses (SIRACA)
    American Committee on Arthropod-borne Viruses (ACAV)
    2013-2017 Executive Committee Council, American Committee on Arthropod-borne Viruses (ACAV) (elected position)
    2015-2017 Chair, Executive Committee Council, American Committee on Arthropod-borne Viruses (ACAV)
    2016-Present Member, Task Force on Zika, Global Virus Network (GVN)
    2017-2020 Member, Digital Education Committee (DEC), American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
    2018-2021 Member, ASTMH Scientific Program Committee – Virology subcommittee, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
    International  
    2014 – 2020 International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses: Rhabdoviridae Study Group
    2014 – 2020 International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses: Nyamiviridae Study Group
    2014 – 2017 International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses: Mononegavirales Study Group
    2015 – 2020 International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses: Mesoniviridae Study Group
    1. Vasilakis, N.; Cardosa, J.; Diallo, M.; Sall, A.A.; Holmes, E.C.; Hanley, K.A.; Weaver, S.C. Sylvatic Dengue Viruses Share the Pathogenic Potential of Urban Dengue Viruses. J. Virol. 84:3726-3727; 2010 [PMID: 20212326]
    2. Vasilakis, N.; Deardorff, E.R.; Kenney, J.; Rossi, S.L.; Hanley, K.A.; Weaver, S.C. Mosquitoes Put the Brake on Evolution: Experimental Evolution Reveals Slower Mutation Accumulation in Mosquito Cells than Vertebrate Cells. PLoS Pathogens, 5(6):e1000467; 2009 [PMID: 19503824] [PMCID: PMC2685980]
    3. Tang, X.; Li, G.; Vasilakis, N.; Zhang, Y.; Shi, Z.; Zhong, Y.; Wang, L-F.; Zhang, S. Differential Stepwise Evolution of SARS Coronavirus Functional Proteins in Different Host Species. BMC Evol. Biol. 9:52; 2009 [PMID: 19261195][PMCID: PMC2676248]
    4. Vasilakis, N.; Durbin, A.; Travassos da Rosa, A.A.P.; Munoz-Jordan, J.; Tesh, R.B.; Weaver, S.C. Antigenic Relationships between Sylvatic and Endemic Dengue Viruses. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 79:128-132; 2008 [PMID: 18606776]
    5. Vasilakis, N.; Fokam, E.B.; Hanson, C.T.; Weinberg, E.; Sall, A.A.; Whitehead, S.S.; Hanley, K.A.; Weaver, S.C. Genetic and Phenotypic Characterization of Sylvatic Dengue Virus Type 2 Strains. Virology 377:296-307; 2008 [PMID: 18570968]
    6. Coffey, L.L.; Vasilakis, N.; Brault, A.C.; Powers, A.; Tripet, F.; Weaver, S.C. Arbovirus Evolution in vivo is Constrained by Host Alternation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105:6970 - 6975; 2008 [PMID: 18458341][PMCID: PMC2383930]
    7. Vasilakis, N.; Tesh, R.B.; Weaver, S.C. Sylvatic Dengue Virus Type 2 Activity in Humans, Nigeria, 1966. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 14:502 - 504; 2008 [PMID: 18325274][PMCID: PMC2570833]
    8. Vasilakis, N.; Holmes, E.C.; Fokam, E.B.; Faye, O.; Diallo, M.; Sall, A.A.; Weaver, S.C. Evolutionary Processes among Sylvatic Dengue-2 Viruses. J. Virol. 81:9591 - 9595; 2007 [PMID: 17553878][PMCID: 1951459]
    9. Vasilakis, N.; Shell, E.J.; Fokam, E.F.; Mason, P.W.; Hanley, K.A.; Estes, D.M.; Weaver, S.C.  Potential of Ancestral Dengue-2 Viruses to Re-emerge. Virology 358:402 - 412; 2007 [PMID: 17014880]
    10. Vasilakis, N.; Falvey, D.; Gangolli, S.; Coleman, J.; Kowalski, J.; Zamb, T.; Udem, S.A.; Kovacs, G.R. Transfection - independent Production of Alphavirus Replicon Particles Based on Poxvirus Expression Vectors. Nature Biotechnology 21:932 - 935; 2003 [PMID: 12845329]
    11. Kovacs, G.R.; Parks, C.L.; Vasilakis, N.; Udem, S.A. Enhancement of Genetic Rescues of a Mononegavirus Using a Novel Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara-T7 Polymerase Vector and DNA Replication Inhibitors.  J. Virol. Methods 111:29 - 36; 2003 [PMID: 12821194]
    12. Gangolli, S.G.; Vasilakis, N.; Kovacs, G.R.; Zamb, T.J.; Kowalski, J. A Method of Alphavirus Replicon Particle Titration Based on Expression of Functional Replicase/Transcriptase. J. Virol. Methods 109:133 - 138; 2003 [PMID: 12711055]
    13. Parks, C. L.; Wang, H.-P.; Kovacs, G. R.; Vasilakis, N.; Kowalski, J.; Nowak, R. M.; Lerch, R.A.; Walpita, P.; Sidhu, M.S.; Udem, S.A. Expression of a Foreign Gene by Recombinant Canine Distemper Virus Recovered from Cloned DNAs. Virus Research 83:131 - 147; 2002 [PMID: 11864746]
    14. Kovacs, G.R.; Vasilakis, N.; Moss, B. Regulation of Viral Intermediate Gene Expression by the Vaccinia Virus B1 Protein Kinase. J. Virol. 75: 4048 - 4055; 2001 [PMID: 11287554] [PMCID: 114150]

    Book Chapters:

    1. Vasilakis, N. and Weaver, S.C. (2008). The History and Evolution of Human Dengue Emergence. In: Maramorosch, K., Murphy, F.A. and Shatkin, A.J., Eds. Advances in Virus Research, vol. 72, pp. 1-76; Academic Press, Burlington, USA. ISBN: 978-0-12-374322-0 [PMID: 19081488]
    2. Vasilakis, N.; Hanley, K.A.; Weaver, S.C. (2010). Dengue Virus Emergence from its Sylvatic Cycle. In: "Frontiers in Dengue Virus Research” (Hanley, K.A. and Weaver, S.C., Eds). Caister Academic Press, Norwich, UK. ISBN: 978-1-904455-50-9

    NIH Biosketch

    Nature Reviews Microbiology: Fever from the forest: prospects for the continued emergence of sylvatic dengue virus and its impact on public health.