Our laboratory focuses on development of vaccines
against highly pathogenic filoviruses Ebola and Marburg and on
investigation of mechanisms of their high pathogenicity. Our research
includes the following specific topics:
- Development of mucosal respiratory tract vaccines against Ebola virus based on paramyxovirus vectors
- Evaluation of the protective efficacy and the immune responses induced by these vaccines in non-human primates
- Analysis of antibody and cell-mediated responses to the vaccines
- Investigation of mechanisms of lymphocyte apoptosis induced by Ebola and Marburg viruses
- Investigation of
contribution of specific proteins and their functional domains to the
high pathogenicity of Ebola and Marburg viruses
- Development small-molecule antivirals against filoviruses
To get insight into these scientific topics, we are
using molecular tools, including reverse genetics (i.e. development of
genetically modified Ebola viruses from the DNA-copies of their genomes)
and immunological tools, including multi-color flow cytometry. The
number of collaborations have been established that include: Dr. Sergei
Nekhai (Howard University), on development of small molecule inhibitors
of filovirus replication; Dr. Peter Collins (NIAID, NIH) on development
of respiratory mucosal vaccines; Dr. Tom Geisbert (Department of
Microbiology & Immunology, UTMB) on testing of protection efficacy
of the mucosal vaccines in a primate model; Dr. Chris Basler (Mount
Sinai School of Medicine, NY) and Dr. Tom Geisbert on the investigation
of the role of an interferon antagonist protein in the pathogenicity of
Ebola virus; and Dr. Alex Freiberg (Department of Pathology, UTMB) on
testing of anti-vitals. Our research includes experiments in a BSL-2 lab
in the Keiller Building, and in BSL-4 labs of the Galveston National
Laboratory.
Search PubMed for Dr. Bukreyev's publications