Highly pathogenic viruses, including filoviruses, continue to pose a significant threat to humans with their potential to cause global public health crises. We are investigating host-filovirus interactions to decipher mechanisms of pathogenesis. Additionally, we develop vaccines based on vesicular stomatitis virus for emerging viral infections. In 2020, we used the approved Ebola virus vaccine as a basis vector to develop SARS-CoV-2 vaccines demonstrating protective efficacy after a single vaccination in animal models.
The Immunobiology & Molecular Virology Unit, 2022. Left to right: Brody Mann, B.Sc.; Cecilia Partor, Ph.D.; Paige Fletcher, Ph.D.; Kyle O’Donnell, Ph.D.; J. Fred Rhoderick, B.Sc.; Hanna Anhalt, B.Sc.; Andrea Marzi, Ph.D.
Andrea Marzi, Ph.D.
Chief, Immunobiology and Molecular Virology Unit
Education:
Ph.D., Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nurnberg, Germany
Dr. Marzi received her Ph.D. in virology from the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nurnberg, Germany where she studied the glycoprotein-mediated entry of Ebola virus (EBOV) and HIV. After a short first postdoc in Winnipeg, Canada at the National Microbiology Laboratory-Public Health Agency of Canada, Dr. Marzi moved to the NIAID Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, MT.
Hanna Anhalt, B.Sc. (She/Her/Hers)
Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Hanna investigates the NK cell phenotypes after recombinant VSV infection in mice. Her plan is to attend medical school.
Paige L. Fletcher, Ph.D. (She/Her/Hers)
Postdoctoral Fellow
Hanna investigates the NK cell phenotypes after recombinant VSV infection in mice. Her plan is to attend medical school.
Brody W. Mann, B.Sc. (He/Him/His)
INRO Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Brody investigates the phenotypes of recombinant VSV-based vaccines in mice. His plan is to attend medical school.
Kyle L. O’Donnell, Ph.D. (He/Him/His)
Postdoctoral Fellow
Development and efficacy testing of VSV-based vaccines against emerging viruses. Research focused on adaptive immunity including natural killer cell responses and how antibody Fc functions contribute to protection.
Cecilia A. Prator, Ph.D. (She/Her/Hers)
Postdoctoral Fellow
Languages Spoken: French
Cecilia uses immune organoids to study immune responses after vaccination and viral challenge to dissect the mechanistic features of human immunity. Her research interests include human immunology, infectious diseases, and organoid development.
J. Fred Rhoderick, B.Sc. (He/Him/His)
Biologist
Fred assists will all projects conducted in the lab.
Former Research Group Members
Wakako Furuyama, D.V.M., Ph.D. - Assistant Professor, Nagasaki University, Japan
Tylisha Gourdine, B.Sc. - Contractor, Vaccine Research Center NIAID
Amanda Griffin, Ph.D. - Microbiologist, LV-OOC, NIAID
Benjamin Kaza, B.A. - Graduate Student, Cornell University
Kyle Shifflett, B.Sc. - Graduate Student, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill