Kar Muthumani, MS., PhD

Description of Research Expertise

Project I). Immunopathogenesis of viral disease and therapeutic DNA vaccine development for HIV, DV, WNV and CHIKV using consensus vaccine approach: Effective vaccines are still needed to combat a number of deadly diseases including Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and emerging mosquito-borne pathogens such as Dengue Virus (DV), West Nile Virus (WNV) and Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV). We are engineering several vaccines into enhanced-DNA constructs using DNA optimization, RNA optimization, and electroporation (EP) techniques and comparing their ability to drive immune responses with previously developed immunogens for HIV, Dengue, West Nile Virus and Chikungunya virus.

Project II). Molecular functions of the Host-Pathogen Interactions: Focuses on the molecular functions of the viral proteins, which are arguably the most important pathogenic factors during viral infection. Using modern tools of virology and immunology, we explore the molecular basis of proteomic function, the interaction between viral factors and host cell signaling proteins, general T cell and APC functions, the function of the T cell exhaustion marker, and the interaction between Programmed death 1 (PD-1) and Programmed death 1 ligand (PD-L1). By studying viral proteins and their interacting cellular partners, our research is aimed at not only understanding the mechanisms involved in these pathways, but also the development of new compounds that block these interactions.

Project III) Novel strategy for treating cancer using therapeutic DNA vaccine approach: We are investigating the mechanisms of Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) expansion and characterizing the role of MDSC in T cell immune suppression in an antigen specific B16 melanoma tumor model in mice utilizing a novel Tyrosinase DNA vaccine. The ultimate goal of this project is to learn how to generate effective antitumor immunity even in the presence of an immune suppressive tumor environment.