Faculty

Ted Ross, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine - School of Medicine and Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology - Graduate School of Public Health (Secondary Appointment) E-mail: tmr15@pitt.edu Phone: 412-648-8666 Address: 9047 BST3 3501 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA  15260

Education

BS, MS; University of Arkansas; 1986, 1989
PhD; Vanderbilt University; 1996

Research Interests

HIV-1, biodefense agents, vaccine development, immunology, virology

Research Summary

Our research focuses on understanding the mechanisms and development of effective DNA vaccines for HIV-1 and other infectious agents. DNA vaccination (genetic vaccination) induces protective immunity against a variety of pathogens. These genetic vaccines consist of eukaryotic expression plasmids that are inoculated into target cells and translated into proteins. DNA vaccination effectively induces both humoral and cellular immune responses to immunogens from diverse infectious agents. However, DNA immunizations have been less successful at generating protective immune responses against HIV-1 and biodefense agents, such as influenza virus, Ebola virus, Rift Valley Fever virus. In order to improve the efficacy of DNA vaccines, our laboratory has developed 1) DNA vaccines expressing virus-like particles and 2) DNA expressing the viral envelope glycoproteins conjugated to a component of the innate immune system, C3d for vaccine development in small rodent and non-human primate studies.

Recent Publications

• Mkrtichyan M, Ghochikyan A, Movsesyan N, Karapetyan A, Begoyan G, Yu J, Glenn GM, Ross TM, Agadjanyan MG, Cribbs DH.  Immunostimulant adjuvant patch enhances humoral and cellular immune responses to DNA immunization.  DNA Cell Biol.  2007.
• McBurney, SP, Young KR, Ross TM.  Membrane embedded HIV-1 envelope on the surface of a virus-like particle elicits broader immune responses than soluble envelopes.  Virology.  2007.  358:334-346.
• Bright RA, Carter DM, Daniluk S, Toapanta FR, Ahmad A, Gavrilov V, Massacre M Pushko P, Mytle N, Rowe T, Smith G, Ross TM.  Influenza virus-like particles elicid broader immune responses than whole virion inactivated influenza virus or recombinant hemagglutinin.  Vaccine.  2007, 25:3971-3878.
• Toapanta FR, Craigo JK, Montelaro RC, Ross TM.  Reduction of anti-HIV-1 Gag immune responses during co-immunization:  immune interference by the HIV-1 envelope.  Curr HIV Res.  2007, 5:199-209.
• McBurney SP, Ross TM.  Developing broadly reactive HIV-1/AIDS vaccines:  a review of polyvalent and centralized HIV-1 vaccines.  Curr Pharm Des.  2007, 13:1957-1964.
• Karkhanis LU, Ross TM.  Mucosal vaccine vectors:  replication-competent versus replication-deficient poxviruses.  Curr Pharm Des.  2007, 13:2015-2023.
• McBurney SP, Young KR, Nwaigwe CI, Soloff AC, Cole KS, Ross TM.  Lentivirus-like particles without reverse transcriptase elicit efficient immune responses.  Curr HIV Res.  2006, 4:475-484.
• Toapanta FR, Ross TM.  Complement-mediated activation of the adaptive immune responses:  role of C3d in linking the innate and adaptive immunity.  Immunol Res.  2006, 36:197-210.
• Young KR, Ross TM.  Elicitation of immunity to HIV type 1 Gag is determined by Gag structure.  AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses.  2006, 22:99-108.
• Bower JF, Li Y, Wyatt R, Ross TM.  HIV-1 Env gp140 trimers elicit neutralizing antibodies without efficient induction of conformational antibodies.  Vaccine.  2006, 24:5441-5451.
• Bower JF, Ross TM.  A minimum CF2 binding domain of C3d enhances immunity following vaccination.  Adv Exp Med Biol.  2006, 586:249-264.
• Young KR, McBurney SP, Karkhanis LU, Ross TM.  Virus-like particles:  designing an effective AIDS vaccine.  Methods.  2006, 40:98-117.
• Young KR, Teal BE, Brooks YD, Green TD, Bower JF, Ross TM. Unique V3 loop sequence derived from the R2 strain of HIV-1 elicits broad neutralizing antibodies. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2004. 20-1261-1270.
  
• Ho PT, Teal BE, Ross TM. Multiple Residues in CCR3 Mediate Cellular Entry of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1. Virology. 2004. 329:109-118.
  
• Bower JF*, Green TD*, Ross TM. Soluble CD4-Envelope Proteins Fused to Multiple Copies of C3d Elicit Cross-Reactive Neutralizing Antibodies. Virology. 2004. 328:292-300.
  
• Young KR, Smith JM, Ross TM. Characterization of DNA vaccines expressing a human immunodeficiency virus-like particle. Virology. 2004. 327:262-272.
  
• Haas, KM*, Toapanta, FR*, Oliver JA, Poe JC, Steeber DA, Karp DR, Ross TM, Tedder TF. C3d-adjuvant Function Proceeds via CD21/35-dependent and Independent Pathways. 2004. Manuscript submitted.
  
• Bower JF, Yang X, Sodroski J, Ross TM. Elicitation of neutralizing antibodies using DNA vaccines expressing soluble stabilized HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein trimers conjugated to C3d. J Virol. 2004. Manuscript in press.
  Toapanta FR, Ross TM. Mouse strain-dependent differences in enhancement of immune responses by C3d. Vaccine. 2004. 22:1773-1781.
  
• Young KR, Ross TM. Particle-based Vaccines for HIV-1 Infection. Current Drug Targets-Infectious Disorders. 2003. 3:151-169.
  
• Bright RA, Ross TM, Subbarao K, Robinson HL, Katz JM. Impact of glycosylation on the immunogenicity of a DNA-based influenza H5 HA vaccine. Virology. 2003. 308:270-278.
  
• Mitchell JA, Green TD, Bright RA, Ross TM. Induction of heterosubtypic immunity to influenza A virus using a DNA vaccine expressing hemagglutinin-C3d fusion proteins. Vaccine. 2003. 21:902-914.
  
• Green TD, Montefiori DC, Ross TM. Enhancement of antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope by using the molecular adjuvant C3d. Journal of Virology. 2003. 77:2046-2055.
  
• Green TD, Newton BR, Rota PA, Xu Y, Robinson HL, Ross TM. C3d enhancement of neutralizing antibodies to measles hemagglutinin. Vaccine. 2001. 20:242-248.
  
• Ross TM, Xu Y, Green TD, Montefiori DC, Robinson HL. Enhanced avidity maturation of antibody to human immunodeficiency virus envelope: DNA vaccination with gp120-C3d fusion proteins. AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses. 2001. 17:829-835.
  
• Ross TM, Xu Y, Bright RA, Robinson HL. C3d enhancement of antibodies to hemagglutinin accelerates protection against influenza virus challenge. Nature Immunology. 2000. 1:127-131.
  
• Ross TM, Oran AE, Cullen BR. Inhibition of HIV-1 progeny virion release by cell-surface CD4 is relieved by expression of the viral Nef protein. Current Biology. 1999. 9:613-61.