报 告 人：Michael A. McVoy 

　　          Ph.D., Professor 

　　          Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, USA 

　　报告时间：2014年4月15日（星期二）上午9:00 

　　报告地点：澳门赌场武汉病毒研究所2楼1号会议室 

　　For the past thirty years Dr. Michael McVoy has devoted his career to the study of human cytomegalovirus (CMV).  At some point in their lifetimes the majority of people will become infected by this under-recognized member of the herpesvirus family.  In people with normal immune function CMV causes a mild primary illness that resolves into a life-long and generally subclinical state of latency.  In immune compromised AIDS patients or transplant recipients primary infection or reactivation from latency can result in serious and often life-threatening complications.  During pregnancy HCMV can cross the placenta to infect the fetus, causing birth defects ranging from mild hearing loss to severe neurodevelopmental damage.   

　　Dr. McVoy received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg Virginia USA, in 1983.  He received a Ph.D. in Microbiology & Immunology from the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond Virginia USA, in 1993.  His doctoral research was entitled “DNA replication of human cytomegalovirus”.  As a post-doctoral fellow with Dr. Edward Mocarski at Stanford University, Stanford California USA, his research focused on herpesvirus DNA packaging. In 1995 Dr. McVoy was an Assistant Professor in Virginia Commonwealth University in the Department of Pediatrics.  He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2002 and full Professor and Chairman since 2006.   

　　Dr. McVoy has received over $18.7M in research grants and published over 60 papers in journals such as Lancet and the Journal of Immunology. 

　　 1) He pioneered the use of novel genetic and DNA analysis technologies and made important contributions toward understanding CMV DNA packaging and the mechanisms by which novel antiviral compounds interfere with this process.  2) He has developed and utilized of the guinea pig model of congenital CMV infection to elucidate the genetic determinants of viral pathogenesis, immune evasion, and tropism, and to determine the potential for enhancing the safety and efficacy of live attenuated vaccines through targeted mutagenesis of viral immune evasion or intracellular host defense mechanisms. He has identified a previously unrecognized, highly potent neutralizing antibody response in CMV-infected people that is specific for epithelial cell entry.  Of potentially major importance for vaccine development, this activity was poorly induced by existing vaccine candidates.  They further showed that people with high serum antibody titers have detectable CMV neutralizing activity in saliva, the presumptive site of action for a vaccine designed to prevent transmission.  3) More recent studies elucidate the role of antibodies in blocking viral spread, which may be more relevant than neutralizing activity for post-entry control of CMV dissemination in vivo.  Currently they are evaluating inactivated virus, DNA, protein subunit, and peptide-based vaccine strategies in collaboration with industry partner Vical Inc.  Dr. McVoy also consults and collaborates with Trellis Bioscience in development of CMV monoclonal antibody immunotherapeutics. He foresees creation of one or more novel vaccine candidates and anticipates opportunities to usher this and other candidate vaccines through clinical development toward licensure.