sealPurdue Virus Experts
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Anti-viral agents

Donald E. Bergstrom

Walther Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
(765) 494-6275
E-mail: dbergstr@pharmacy.purdue.edu

Expertise includes nucleic acid chemistry, nucleic acid biotechnology, DNA-based diagnostics and DNA microchip development. Research is directed towards re-engineering DNA, with an emphasis on constructing modified acid components that can be incorporated into DNA or RNA. Is working to synthesize such components to block retrovirus nucleic acid expression and oncogenes implicated in cancer. Is a Fellow of the National Institutes of Health.

Stephen R. Byrn

Charles B. Jordan Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
Head, Department of Industrial & Physical Pharmacy
(765) 494-1460
E-mail: sbyrn@pharmacy.purdue.edu

Has conducted research on the design and synthesis of anti-AIDS agents targeted to the RNA template. Consults for numerous pharmaceutical companies on the methods for stabilizing and characterizing solid pharmaceuticals.

Mark S. Cushman

Professor, medicinal chemistry
(765) 494-1465
E-mail: cushman@pharmacy.purdue.edu

Research focuses on anti-AIDS and anti-cancer drug design and synthesis. Has developed a new compound, Cosalane, capable of intercepting the HIV virus before it attaches to a host cell. Cosalane is undergoing preclinical development. Also has developed a new reverse transcriptase inhibitor called "ADAM," and analogs of it are being created and evaluated as HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Edward H. Simon

Professor, biological sciences
(765) 494-4991
E-mail: esimon@bilbo.bio.purdue.edu

Teaches about HIV and AIDS, and does research on interferon and viral genetics. Expertise includes knowledge of flu viruses. Has written for newspapers and worked with television in these areas. Member of American Society of Microbiology, American Society of Virology, and International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research.

Thomas J. Smith

Associate professor, biology
(765) 494-8038
E-mail: tom@bragg.bio.purdue.edu

Expertise in areas of viruses and immunology. Research focuses on how antibodies kill viruses and the structure of various viral components. Research includes examination of antibody-mediated neutralization of the common cold virus, human rhinovirus 14 (HRV14). Also using crystallography with electron microscopy to probe the structure of several togaviruses, a family of viruses responsible for several tropical diseases, such as yellow fever and dengue.

Cold virus

Michael G. Rossmann

Hanley Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences
(765) 494-4911
E-mail: mgr@indiana.bio.purdue.edu

Is internationally recognized for pioneering methods that allow scientists to determine and study the three-dimensional structure and function of biological macromolecules, such as viruses. Current studies focus on various animal and bacterial viruses, including the human immunodeficiency (HIV) virus, parvoviruses and several viruses that cause colds in humans. In 1985, his group became the first to solve the structure of an animal virus when it mapped the three-dimensional structure of a common cold virus, making it possible to study surface features and interactions of the virus. In 1986, his team pinpointed the site in a cold virus where anti-viral agents bind and work to prevent the virus from reproducing. In 1998, his team solved the structure of a receptor that is used by the common cold virus to enter and infect human cells.

Thomas J. Smith

For biography, see "Anti-viral agents"

Ebola virus

David Sanders

Assistant professor, biological sciences
(765) 494-6453
E-mail: retrovir@bragg.bio.purdue.edu

Studies the envelope proteins of viruses, including retroviruses and the Ebola virus. These proteins are responsible for binding and fusing the virus to target cell membranes. Also looking at ways to use viruses for gene-transfer and gene-therapy applications.

HIV/Drug development

Donald E. Bergstrom

For biography, see "Anti-viral agents"

Stephen R. Byrn

For biography, see "Anti-viral agents"

Mark S. Cushman

For biography, see "Anti-viral agents"

HIV/Structure

Michael G. Rossmann

For biography, see "Cold virus"

Retroviruses

David Sanders

For biography, see "Ebola virus"

Viral genetics

Richard J. Kuhn

Associate professor, biological sciences
(765) 494-1164
E-mail: rjkuhn@bragg.bio.purdue.edu

Studies viral gene expression, virus-host interactions, pathogenesis, virus receptors and virus assembly. Is studying several viruses from the simple picornaviruses through the more complex flaviviruses and togaviruses. These include human pathogens such as yellow fever virus, hepatitis C virus and coxsackievirus.

Edward H. Simon

For biography, see "Anti-viral agents"

Virus-host interactions

Richard J. Kuhn

For biography, see "Viral genetics"

Michael G. Rossmann

For biography, see "Cold virus"

Virus/Vaccine development

Peixuan Guo

Associate professor, molecular virology
(765) 494-7561
E-mail: guo@vet.purdue.edu

Is an expert on viruses, viral diseases, genetic engineering and vaccine development. Also is studying virus assembly to understand ways to construct a system for gene delivery for cancer therapy. Editor of international journal Seminars in Virology.

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu

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