Center for Global Health Faculty

Associate Professor

Academic Degrees

• PhD

Departmental Affiliation

• Name:

  Molecular Microbiology and Immunology

  Affiliation Type:

  Primary

• Name:

  Environmental Health Sciences

  Affiliation Type:

  Joint

Departmental Address

Contact Information

Email:

apekosz+jhsph.edu

Phone:

410-502-9306

Link:

SciVal Experts Research Profile

Research and Professional Experience

My research interests lie in understanding the interaction of viruses with the respiratory epithelium. Our efforts are focused on influenza A virus, the severe, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Andes virus, a South American hantavirus responsible for Hanatavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). There are two main focuses to our research program. The first is in how viral proteins target to sites of assembly and identifying the viral and cellular factors that are important for the production of infectious virus particles. For these studies we use influenza A virus to study virus assembly at the plasma membrane and Andes and SARS-CoV to study virus assembly at intracellular sites. The second research focus of the laboratory is in understanding how viruses can counteract antiviral innate and adaptive immune responses. For these studies we utilize animal models of infection, as well as primary cell cultures of respiratory epithelial cells. By identifying the viral proteins that control the host immune response, we hope to gain a better understanding of how the virus can establish an infection and identify the key host proteins that play a role in controlling virus replication and the immune response to viral infection. In a related line of research, we are investigating how influenza A viruses can adapt to productively infect a new host. Of particular interest is the identification of viral and cellular factors that are important for efficient replication of canine, equine and avian influenza A virus strains to human respiratory epithelial cells.

Keywords

virus, virus assembly, virus-host interactions, respiratory infections, receptors, cell tropism, vaccines, flu, influenza, SARS-CoV, hantavirus

Honors and Awards

1989 Selman A. Waksman/David H. Struymeyer Award for Achievement in Biochemistry, Rutgers University 1995 Joel M. Dalrymple Memorial Award, American Society for Virology 2001 National Foundation for Infectious Diseases New Investigator Grant 2001-03 Whitaker Foundation, Young Investigator Award 2001-03 Infectious Diseases Society of America, Wyeth-Lederle Vaccines New Investigator Award 2007 Diversity Leadership Award – Faculty, Washington University in St. Louis

Selected Publications

Li Y, Larrimer A, Curtiss T, Kim J, Jones A, Pekosz A and Olivo PA. Influenza virus assays based on virus-induced reporter cell lines. Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses.2009.Sept; 3(5):241-51.  DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-2659.2009.00094.x

Grantham ML, Wu W-H, Lalime EN, Lorenzo M, Klein SL and Pekosz A. Palmitoylation of the influenza A virus M2 protein is not required for virus replication in vitro but alters virus virulence. J Virol. 2009 Sept;83(17):8655-61. PMID: 19553312.

Pekosz A, Newby CM, Bose PS and Lutz A. Sialic acid recognition is a key determinant of influenza A virus tropism in murine trachea epithelial cell cultures. Virology. 2009 Mar 30;386(1):61-7. PMID: 19195676

Rowe RK, Suszko JW and Pekosz A. Roles for the Recycling Endosome, Rab8 and Rab11 in hantavirus release from epithelial cells. Virology. 2008 Dec 20;382(2):239-49. PMID: 18951604

Schaecher SR, Diamond MS and Pekosz A. The transmembrane domain of the SARS-CoV ORF7b protein is necessary and sufficient for its retention in the Golgi complex. J Virol. 2008 Oct;82(19):9477-91. PMID: 18632859

Schaecher SR, Stabenow J, Oberle C, Schriewer J, Sagartz JE, Buller RM, and Pekosz, A. An Immunosuppressed Syrian Golden Hamster Model for SARS-CoV Infection. Virology. 2008 Oct 25;380(2):312-21. PMID: 18760437

Wu W-H and Pekosz A. Extending the cytoplasmic tail of the influenza a virus M2 protein leads to reduced virus replication in vivo but not in vitro. J Virol. 2008 Jan;82(2):1059-63. PMID: 17989186

Schaecher SR, Touchette E, Schriewer J, Buller RM and Pekosz A., Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus gene 7 products contribute to virus-induced apoptosis. J Virol. 2007 Oct;81(20):11054-68. PMID: 17686858

Newby, CM, Sabin, L and Pekosz A. The RNA Binding Domain of Influenza A Virus NS1 Protein Affects Secretion of Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha, Interleukin-6, and Interferon in Primary Murine Tracheal Epithelial Cells. J Virol. 2007 Sep;81(17):9469-80. PMID: 17596305.

Schaecher SR, Mackenzie J and Pekosz A. The ORF7b Protein of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) Is Expressed in Virus-Infected Cells and Incorporated into SARS-CoV Particles. J Virol. 2007 Jan;81(2):718-31. PMID: 17079322.

Newby, CM, Rowe, RK and Pekosz A. Influenza A virus infection of primary differentiated airway epithelial cell cultures derived from Syrian golden hamsters. Virology. 2006 Oct 10;354(1):80-90. PMID: 16876846.

McCown, MF and Pekosz, A. Distinct Domains of the Influenza A Virus M2 Protein Cytoplasmic Tail Mediate Binding to the M1 Protein and Facilitate Infectious Virus Production. J Virol. 2006 Aug;80(16):8178-89. PMID: 16873274.

Ibricevic A, Pekosz A, Walter MJ, Newby C, Battaile JT, Brown EG, Holtzman MJ, Brody SL. Influenza virus receptor specificity and cell tropism in mouse and human airway epithelial cells. J Virol. 2006 Aug;80(15):7469-80. PMID: 16840327.