Section: Research

John Herrmann, Ph.D.

Academic Role: Professor

Faculty Appointment(s) In:
   Medicine
   Molecular Genetics and Microbiology

Immune responses in protection against rotaviruses; DNA vaccines

Our laboratory is concentrating on studies with group A rotaviruses, which are the major cause of severe gastroenteritis in infants and young children worldwide, and are also important veterinary pathogens. The immune mechanisms for controlling and preventing rotavirus infection and illness are not well understood, despite extensive investigations concerning immune responses to various rotavirus proteins, experience with live attenuated oral rotavirus vaccines, and seroepidemiological studies. We are using plasmid DNAs (DNA vaccines) encoding specific viral proteins to study and characterize the immune responses involved in protection against rotavirus infection. Inoculation with plasmid DNAs allows for the expression of immunizing proteins by host cells that take up inoculated DNA. Expression of the immunizing proteins in host cells results in the presentation of normally processed proteins to the immune system, which permits studying immune responses against the native forms of proteins. These studies are designed to determine the major viral proteins involved in induction of protective immunity, and to characterize the relative roles of cell-mediated, humoral, and mucosal responses in the immune process.

Office: NRB 305
Phone: 508-856-2155
Fax: 508-856-8030
E-mail: John.Herrmann@umassmed.edu

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