Departmental Affiliations
Andy Pekosz, PhD, investigates the replication and disease potential of respiratory viruses including influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging viruses.
Contact Info
615 N. Wolfe Street, Room W2116
Baltimore
Maryland
21205
US
Research Interests
virus; virus assembly; virus-host interactions; respiratory infections; receptors; cell tropism; vaccines; influenza; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; enterovirus-D68;
Additional Links
Experiences & Accomplishments
Education
PhD
University of Pennsylvania
1997
BS
Rutgers University
1990
Overview
My research interests lie in understanding the interaction of viruses with the respiratory epithelium. Our efforts are primarily focused on influenza A virus and the severe, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), but we have interests in several other viruses including, enterovirus-D68 (EV-D68), Influenza B virus and other emerging viruses.
There are two main focuses to our research program. The first is to understand how how virus proteins target to specific intracellular sites in order to mediate their function or to alter the function of host cell proteins and pathways.
The second research focus of the laboratory is in understanding how viruses interact with respiratory epithelial cells to mediate the early stages of infection. For these studies we utilize animal models of infection, as well as primary cell cultures of respiratory epithelial cells. By identifying the viral proteins that control infection of these specialized epithelial cells, we hope to gain a better understanding of how the virus can establish an infection and identify the key host proteins that play a role in controlling virus replication and the immune response to viral infection.
There are two main focuses to our research program. The first is to understand how how virus proteins target to specific intracellular sites in order to mediate their function or to alter the function of host cell proteins and pathways.
The second research focus of the laboratory is in understanding how viruses interact with respiratory epithelial cells to mediate the early stages of infection. For these studies we utilize animal models of infection, as well as primary cell cultures of respiratory epithelial cells. By identifying the viral proteins that control infection of these specialized epithelial cells, we hope to gain a better understanding of how the virus can establish an infection and identify the key host proteins that play a role in controlling virus replication and the immune response to viral infection.
Honors & Awards
2020 Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology; 2018 President of the American Society for Virology; 2017 Delta Omega Honor Society in Public Health; 2016 Shikani/El Hibri Prize for Discovery and Innovation, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; 2007 Diversity Leadership Award – Faculty, Washington University in St. Louis; 2001-03 Whitaker Foundation, Young Investigator Award; 2001-03 Infectious Diseases Society of America, Wyeth-Lederle Vaccines New Investigator Award; 2001 National Foundation for Infectious Diseases New Investigator Grant; 1995 Joel M. Dalrymple Memorial Award, American Society for Virology; 1989 Selman A. Waksman/David H. Struymeyer Award for Achievement in Biochemistry, Rutgers University
Select Publications
Five publications that highlight the kind of research projects the Pekosz laboratory focuses on.
- Powell H, Pekosz A. Neuraminidase antigenic drift of H3N2 clade 3c.2a viruses alters virus replication, enzymatic activity and inhibitory antibody binding. PLoS Pathog. 2020 Jun 29;16(6):e1008411. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008411. eCollection 2020 Jun. PMID: 32598381 Free PMC article.
- Truong TT, Ryutov A, Pandey U, Yee R, Goldberg L, Bhojwani D, Aguayo-Hiraldo P, Pinsky BA, Pekosz A, Shen L, Boyd SD, Wirz OF, Röltgen K, Bootwalla M, Maglinte DT, Ostrow D, Ruble D, Han JH, Biegel JA, Li M, Huang C, Sahoo MK, Pannaraj PS, O'Gorman M, Judkins AR, Gai X, Dien Bard J. Increased viral variants in children and young adults with impaired humoral immunity and persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection: A consecutive case series. EBioMedicine. 2021 May;67:103355. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103355. Epub 2021 Apr 26. PMID: 33915337
- Dhakal S, Ruiz-Bedoya CA, Zhou R, Creisher P, Villano J, Littlefield K, Castillo J, Marinho P, Jedlicka A, Ordonez A, Majewska N, Betenbaugh M, Flavahan K, Mueller A, Looney M, Quijada D, Mota F, Beck SE, Brockhurst JK, Braxton A, Castell N, D'Alessio F, Metcalf Pate KA, Karakousis PC, Mankowski JL, Pekosz A, Jain SK, Klein SL. Sex differences in lung imaging and SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in a COVID-19 golden Syrian hamster model. bioRxiv. 2021 Apr 4:2021.04.02.438292. doi: 10.1101/2021.04.02.438292. Preprint. PMID: 33821269
- Luo CH, Morris CP, Sachithanandham J, Amadi A, Gaston DC, Li M, Swanson NJ, Schwartz M, Klein EY, Pekosz A, Mostafa HH. Infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant is Associated with Higher Recovery of Infectious Virus Compared to the Alpha Variant in both Unvaccinated and Vaccinated Individuals. Clin Infect Dis. 2021 Dec 18:ciab986. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab986. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34922338
- Wohlgemuth N, Lane AP, Pekosz A. Influenza A Virus M2 Protein Apical Targeting Is Required for Efficient Virus Replication. J Virol. 2018 Oct 29;92(22):e01425-18. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01425-18. Print 2018 Nov 15. PMID: 30158290
Projects
Sex and Age Differences in Immunity to Influenza
Specialized Center of Research Excellence in Sex Differences
Johns Hopkins Excellence in Pathogenesis and Immunity Center for SARS-CoV-2 (JH-EPICS)
SARS-CoV-2 Genome: Viral Evolution as a Factor of Sustained Community Transmission and Prolonged Infection
Johns Hopkins Center of Excellence in Influenza Research and Response (JH-CEIRR)