James P. McGettigan, PhD
Assistant Professor, Research

Contact Dr. McGettigan

1020 Locust Street
Room 465
Philadelphia, PA 19107

(215) 503-4629

Education
B.S., The Pennsylvania State University, Biology, 1986
PhD, Thomas Jefferson University, Microbiology and Molecular Virology, 2002

University Appointment
Assistant Professor, Research
Microbiology and Immunology
Thomas Jefferson University

Research and Clinical Interests
Our laboratory is interesting in identifying new vaccine platforms against human rabies virus HIV-1 and influenza virus infections, which are based on replication-deficient rabies virus-based vectors. To accomplish this goal, we are investigating molecular mechanisms and virus-host interactions that may influence the immunogenicity of our vaccine vectors. In addition, we are studying the role of antibody effector functions in vaccine-induced immunity and protection. Dr. McGettigan was recently awarded the Wyeth Young Investigator Award in Vaccine Development by the Infectious Disease Society of American (IDSA) and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), and he received the Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC) Pilot Research Program Award to test the immunogenicity of a candidate vaccine in non-human primates. Our laboratory is currently collaborating with Drs. Andrew Lackner, Preston Marx and Marcelo Kuroda at the TNPRC, and with Dr. Matthias Schnell within Thomas Jefferson University to advance the study of our vaccine vectors. The Jefferson Vaccine Center will greatly facilitate and expand these collaborations and benefit our vaccine development program.

Publications

1. Investigating the Role for IL-21 in Rabies Virus Vaccine-induced Immunity
2. Experimental rabies vaccines for humans
3. Characterization of a single-cycle rabies virus-based vaccine vector
4. The cell biology of rabies virus: Using stealth to reach the brain
5. Rabies virus-based vaccines elicit neutralizing antibodies, poly-functional CD8+ T cell, and protect rhesus macaques from AIDS-like disease after SIVmac251 challenge
6. Replication-deficient rabies virus-based vaccines are safe and immunogenic in mice and nonhuman primates
7. Interferon-β expressed by a rabies virus-based HIV-1 vaccine vector serves as a molecular adjuvant and decreases pathogenicity
8. Immune modulating effect by a phosphoprotein-deleted rabies virus vaccine vector expressing two copies of the rabies virus glycoprotein gene
9. Infection of monocytes or immature dendritic cells (DCs) with an attenuated rabies virus results in DC maturation and a strong activation of the NFκB signaling pathway
10. Highly attenuated rabies virus-based vaccine vectors expressing simian-human immunodeficiency virus89.6P Env and simian immunodeficiency virusmac239 Gag are safe in rhesus macaques and protect from an AIDS-like disease
11. A single immunization with a recombinant canine adenovirus expressing the rabies virus G protein confers protective immunity against rabies in mice
12. Rabies virus glycoprotein as a carrier for anthrax protective antigen
13. siRNA targeting Vaccinia virus double-stranded RNA binding protein [E3L] exerts potent antiviral effects
14. Enhanced humoral HIV-1-specifc immune responses generated from recombinant rhabdoviral-based vaccine vectors co-expressing HIV-1 proteins and IL-2
15. Insect renal tubules constitute a cell-autonomous immune system that protects the organism against bacterial infection
16. Strong cellular and humoral anti-HIV Env immune responses induced by a heterologous rhabdoviral prime-boost approach
17. Conservation of capa peptide-induced nitric oxide signalling in Diptera
18. Rabies virus nucleoprotein as a carrier for foreign antigens
19. Erratum: Budding of PPxY-Containing Rhabdoviruses Is Not Dependent on Host Proteins TSG101 and VPS4A (Journal of Virology (2004) 78, 6 (2657-2665))
20. Budding of PPxY-Containing Rhabdoviruses Is Not Dependent on Host Proteins TGS101 and VPS4A

(This list reflects the most recent 20 publications)