John Sullivan, M.D.

Academic Role: Professor

Faculty Appointment(s) In:
   Pediatrics

Other Affiliation(s):
   Center for AIDS Research
   Clinical and Population Health Research
   Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
   Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
   Program in Immunology and Virology
   Program in Molecular Medicine

Epstein-Barr Virus [EBV] and Human Immunodeficiency Virus [HIV]

Research in this laboratory is aimed at understanding the pathogenesis of chronic infection with Epstein-Barr Virus [EBV] and Human Immunodeficiency Virus [HIV]. Studies of EBV are focused on the nature of the immune response which controls but does not eradicate viral replication and the nature of the immune defect which results in the X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome.  Studies of HIV are focused on the elucidation and characterization of HIV gene mutations which result in infections associated with long term control of viral replication and/or lack of disease progression.

Experimental therapeutic and preventative vaccine approaches are also being studied. These include combination antiretroviral agents to interrupt viral replication and recombinant vector or live attenuated vaccines to prevent HIV-1 infection. Of particular interest is the development of therapeutics and vaccine regimens which can be used in the developing world to interrupt maternal to child transmission.

Recent Publications

Li W, Greenough TC, Moore MJ, Vasilieva N, Somasundaran M, Sullivan JL, Farzan M, Choe H. (2004) Efficient replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus in mouse cells is limited by murine Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2.  J Virol  78(20):11429-33.

Luzuriaga K, McManus M, Mofenson L, Britto P, Graham B, Sullivan JL; PACTG 356 Investigators. (2004) A trial of three antiretroviral regimens in HIV-1-infected children. N Engl J Med  350(24):2471-80.

Hochberg D, Souza T, Catalina M, Sullivan JL, Luzuriaga K, Thorley-Lawson DA. (2004)  Acute infection with Epstein-Barr virus targets and overwhelms the peripheral memory B-cell compartment with resting, latently infected cells. J Virol  78(10):5194-204.

Hochberg D, Middeldorp JM, Catalina M, Sullivan JL, Luzuriaga K, Thorley-Lawson DA. (2004) Demonstration of the Burkitt's lymphoma Epstein-Barr virus phenotype in dividing latently infected memory cells in vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A  101(1):239-44.

Hiebenthal-Millow K, Greenough TC, Bretttler DB, Schindler M, Wildum S, Sullivan JL, Kirchhoff F.  (2003) Alterations in HIV-1 LTR promoter activity during AIDS progression. Virology 317(1):109-18.

Li W, Moore MJ, Vasilieva N, Sui J, Wong SK, Berne MA, Somasundaran M, Sullivan JL, Luzuriaga K, Greenough TC, Choe H, Farzan M. (2003)  Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 is a functional receptor for the SARS coronavirus. Nature  426(6965):450-4.

Potential Rotation Projects

Contact Dr. Sullivan for more project details.

Academic Background

John L. Sullivan received his BS from LeMoyne College in 1968 and his MD from SUNY Upstate Medical School, Syracuse, in 1972. From 1973 to 1975, he served as a staff associate in the Division of Virology at the NIH Bureau of Biologics in Bethesda, Maryland. He completed his pediatric training and clinical immunology at the University of Washington. In 1978, he joined the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. In 1984 the American Heart Association awarded him an Established Investigatorship. Dr. Sullivan served on the Immunological Sciences Study Section 1982-1986 and was a Charter Member of AIDS and Related Research Study Section (1990-92) of the NIH.

Office: S1-859
Phone: 508-856-1572
Fax: 508-856-5004
E-mail: John.Sullivan@umassmed.edu
Keywords: Immunology, Viral Infections and Immunity, Clinical Research, Infectious Disease, HIV/AIDS

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