Virology
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Ronald C. Desrosiers, Ph.D.

Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Director of the New England Primate Research Center 

N.E. Reg. Primate Research Ctr
1 Pine Hill Dr.,
P O Box 9102
Southborough, MA 017729102
Tel: 508-624-8042
Fax: 508-624-8190
e-mail:ronald_desrosiers@hms.harvard.edu
 7 postdoctoral fellows, 1 graduate student

 

  

Dr. Desrosiers' interests center on non-human primate viruses and an understanding of the diseases they induce.

The viruses that cause AIDS in humans, HIV-1 and HIV-2, are members of the lentivirus subfamily of retroviruses. The simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIV's) are non-human primate lentiviruses that are the closest known relatives of the HIVs. They closely parallel their human counterparts in genomic organization, gene sequence and biological properties. Molecularly-cloned SIV is being used to study the determinants of AIDS pathogenesis. What are the basic mechanisms by which SIV/HIV persistence is achieved? What is the role of envelope sequence variation? Are the so-called "non-essential" genes essential for persistence and/or pathogenic potential? What are the strategies of immune evasion used by the virus? What are the factors that determine sensitivity or resistance to antibody-mediated neutralization?

SIV in rhesus monkeys is being used to investigate vaccine approaches for AIDS. Live attenuated strains of SIV are being studied in order to better understand the mechanisms of protective immunity so that AIDS vaccine development efforts can have a rational basis.

A herpesvirus has been isolated from rhesus monkeys that has HHV-8 (the Kaposi Sarcoma herpesvirus) as its closest relative. The glycoproteins used for entry into fibroblasts vs B cells are being defined. The contributions of individual genes to infection, persistence, and immune avoidance are being studied.

 

References:

  1. Desrosiers, RC. 1999. Strategies used by human immunodeficiency virus that allow persistent viral replication. Nature Med. 5:723-725.
  2. Johnson, WE, Morgan, J, Reitter, J, Puffer, BA, Czajak, S, Doms, RW, and Desrosiers, RC. 2002. A replication-competent, neutralization-sensitive variant of simian immunodeficiency virus lacking 100 amino acids of envelope. J. Virol. 76:2075-2086.
  3. Johnson, WE, Sanford, H, Schwall, L, Burton, DR, Parren PWHI, Robinson, JE, and Desrosiers, RC. Assorted mutations in the envelope gene of simian immunodeficiency virus lead to loss of neutralization resistance against antibodies representing a broad spectrum of specificities. J. Virol. 2003, 77:9993-10003.
  4. Desrosiers, R.C. Prospects for an AIDS vaccine. Nature Med. 2004, 10:221-223.