Moss Research Group

The research group investigates the replication of poxviruses, viral immune defense proteins and recombinant vaccines against other viral pathogens including monkeypox virus, coronaviruses, and immunodeficiency viruses.

Members of Genetic Engineering Section Research Group

Members of Genetic Engineering Section Research Group

Credit: NIAID

Bernard Moss, M.D., Ph.D.

Chief, Genetic Engineering Section
NIH Distinguished Investigator

Education:

Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

M.D., New York University School of Medicine

Dr. Moss received his M.D. from the New York University School of Medicine, interned at the Children's Hospital Medical Center (Boston), and then earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Moss is currently on the editorial boards of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Journal of Virology, and the NIH Catalyst. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland.

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Jeffrey L. Americo, M.S.

Biologist

Education:

B.S., Biology, American University
M.S., Toxicology, American University
M.S., Biotechnology, Johns Hopkins University

Involved in broad range of scientific projects associated with 1) the study of vaccinia virus and monkeypox virus infection and pathogenesis in animal models and 2) the characterization of host innate and adaptive immune responses to orthopoxviruses. More recent projects and interests include the development of a novel rMVA/SARS-CoV2 vaccine and identifying adaptive components of the immune system...

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Catherine Anne Cotter, M.S.

Biologist

Education:

M.S., Biotechnology, Johns Hopkins University
B.S., Biochemistry, Lancaster University (UK)

Basic poxvirus research. Study of vaccinia entry fusion proteins. Select agent work with monkeypox. Research into recombinant poxvirus vectored vaccines.

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Patricia Lewise Earl, Ph.D.

Staff Scientist

Education:

Ph.D., University of Iowa
BA, Lawrence University

Research interests include pathogenesis of vaccinia and monkeypox viruses and development of vaccine candidates against pathogens such as HIV and SARS CoV-2. Small animal models utilizing African dormice and CAST/EiJ mice have been developed for these purposes. Principal investigator in the Select Agent program for monkeypox and for an ACUC animal protocol for small animal models; experience in...

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George C. Katsafanas, B.A.

Biologist

Education:

Bachelor’s Degree, biology/biological sciences, Loyla University of Chicago

Languages Spoken: Greek

I was born in Megalopoli Greece, and at the age eight my family moved to Chicago. While attending college i worked in a diverse array of jobs in order to pay for tuition. After graduation i worked for a number of years at the University of Chicago as a biologist before continuing my career at the National Institutes of Health. All in all, for a total of thirty-five years and counting.

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Tatiana Georgia Koonin (Senkevich), Ph.D.

Staff Scientist

Education:

PH.D., Moscow State University

Investigation of the functions of vaccinia virus genes involved in the interaction with the host innate immune response.

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Andrea S. Weisberg, B.S.

Microbiologist

Education:

B.S., Pennsylvania State University

In 1995, I came to the Laboratory of Viral Diseases as an electron microscopist, to study the entry, assembly, morphology, and egress of viruses.

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Yunliang Zhang, M.S.

Pre-doctoral Visiting Fellow

Education:

Ph.D. Candidate, University of Maryland

M.S., Indiana University of Bloomington

Languages Spoken: Chinese

I am a graduate student in Dr. Moss lab interested in investigating the mechanisms of virus replication and assembly, and the molecular machinery involved in the host-virus interaction, with particular focus on poxvirus.

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