John A. Armstrong, ScD Professor Emeritus, Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health Member of the University of Pittsburgh Institutional Review Board E-mail: armstron@pitt.edu Phone: 412-624-7157 Fax: 412-383-8926 Address: A450A Crabtree Hall 130 DeSoto St. Pittsburgh, PA 15261

Education

MA; Oxford University
ScD; University of Pittsburgh


Research Interests

Viral infections of man, design and analysis of clinical trials

Laboratory

Dr. Armstrong's laboratory is not longer in operation.

Research Summary

After eight years in industry testing compounds for antiviral activity in experimental models, my research in Pittsburgh focused on Herpes virus infections in transplant recipients, development of antivirals, especially interferon, and clinical trials in subjects infected with HIV.

Professional Memberships

Past member of American Society for Microbiology and American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Advice to future leaders and researchers in IDM

The strength of the Department has always been in its application of basic science to real problems in the control of infections diseases with major emphasis on viral infections. Substantial efforts to broaden the scope to include other classes of etiological agents are underway and should be continued but not at the expense of the strength in virology.

Notable Publications

Armstrong, J. A. (1971). A semi-micro, dye-binding assay for rabbit interferon. App. Micro. 21: 723-725.

Armstrong, J. A., Edmonds, M., Nakazato, H., Phillips, B. A., and Vaughn, M. H. (1972). Polyadenylic acid sequences in the virion of RNA of poliovirus and eastern equine encephalitis virus. Science 176: 526-528.

Armstrong, J. A., Evans, A. S., Rao, N., and Ho M. (1976). Viral Infections in Renal Transplant Recipients. Infection and Immunity 14: 970-975.

Mayo, D. R., Armstrong, J. A., and Ho, M. (1977). Reactivation of murine cytomegalovirus by cyclophosphamide. Nature 267: 721-723.

Breinig, M. K., Kingsley, L. A., Armstrong, J. A., Freeman, D. J., and Ho, M. (1990). Epidemiology of Genital Herpes in Pittsburgh: serologic, sexual and racial correlates of apparent and inapparent herpes simplex infections. Journal of Infectious Disease 162: 299-305.

O’Marro, D., Armstrong, J. A., Asuncion, C., Gueverra, L., and Ho, M. (1992). The effect of combinations of ampligen and zidovudine or dideoxyinosine against human immunodeficiency virus in vitro. Antiviral Research 17: 169-177.

Armstrong, J. A., McMahon, D., Huang, L., et al. (1992). A phase I study of Ampligen in human immunodeficiency virus infected subjects. Journal of Infectious Disease 166: 717-722.

Kadakia, M. P., Rybka, W. B., Stewart, J. A., Patton, J. L., Stamey, F. R., Elsawy, M., Pellett, P. E., and Armstrong, J. A. (1996). Human herpes virus 6: infection and disease following autologous and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Blood 87: 5341-5354.