Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute Faculty and Research
VGTI Faculty
![Klaus Frueh headshot](/sites/default/files/2023-11/frueh_100x120.jpg)
Klaus Frueh, Ph.D.
Professor
Research interests:
HHV8 virology and pathobiology, functional genomics, host pathogen interaction: particularly viral Immune modulation Works with the following viral families: Herpesviruses (cytomegalovirus, Kaposi’s sarcoma associated virus), Poxviruses (Cowpox, Monkeypox), Flaviviruses (West Nile Virus, Dengue Virus)
![Scott Wong headshot](/sites/default/files/2023-11/wong_100x120.jpg)
Scott W. Wong, Ph.D.
Professor
Research interests:
Viral pathogenesis and therapeutic development
![Ashlee Moses headshot](/sites/default/files/2023-11/moses_100x120_0.jpg)
Ashlee Moses, Ph.D.
Professor
About our research
Moses Lab
Research interests:
Viral pathogenesis; anti-viral defense; KSHV/HHV8, HIV, herpesviruses
![Dan Streblow headshot](/sites/default/files/2023-11/steblow_100x120_2.jpg)
Daniel Streblow, Ph.D.
Professor
Research interests:
CMV pathogenesis and transplantation
![Scott Hansen headshot](/sites/default/files/2023-11/hansen_100x120_0.jpg)
Scott Hansen, Ph.D.
Professor
Research interests:
HIV pathogenesis and vaccine development
![DeFilippis headshot](/sites/default/files/2023-11/defilippis_100x120_0.jpg)
Victor DeFilippis, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Research interests:
Activation and evasion of innate immune responses by viral pathogens
![Patrizia Caposio headshot](/sites/default/files/2023-11/caposio_100x120.jpg)
Patrizia Caposio, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Research interests:
CMV pathogenesis, vascular diseases, and angiogenesis
![Afam Okoye headshot](/sites/default/files/2023-11/okoye_100x120_0.jpg)
Afam Okoye, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Research interests:
Viral pathogenesis, T cell homeostasis, Immunological aging
![Alec Hirsch headshot](/sites/default/files/2023-11/hirsch_100x120.jpg)
Alec Hirsch, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Research interests:
Virus-host cell interactions
![Rebecca Skalsky headshot](/sites/default/files/2023-11/skalsky_100x120_0.jpg)
Rebecca Skalsky, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Research interests:
Non-coding RNAs (i.e. microRNAs) in viral pathogenesis, DNA tumor virus biology (i.e. gamma-herpesviruses)
![Jeremy Smedley headshot](/sites/default/files/2023-11/smedley_100x120_0.jpg)
Jeremy Smedley, DVM, MS, DACLAM
Professor and Head of ONPRC Infectious Disease Resource
Research interests:
Developing new minimally invasive surgical techniques and optimizing animal models
![Brandon Wilder headshot](/sites/default/files/2023-11/wilder_100x120_0.jpg)
Brandon Wilder, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Research interests:
The Wilder lab is focused on understanding how our immune system can fight malaria, and how we can use this information to make an effective vaccine suitable for widespread use and elimination of this ancient disease
![Meaghan Hancock headshot](/sites/default/files/2023-11/hancock_100x120_0.jpg)
Meaghan Hancock, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Research interests:
Studying the roles of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) miRNAs in modulating host cellular signaling pathways
![malouli headshot](/sites/default/files/2024-04/Malouli_100x%20120.jpg)
Daniel Malouli, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor
Research interests:
Cytomegalovirus genomics, determinants of species specificity and evolution; BAC recombineering and vector construction, Vaccine development; non-human primate in vivo models.
Affiliate Faculty
Michael Axthelm, DVM, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Research interests: NPH models for Aids research, virology and human viral diseases
Benjamin Bimber, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and ONPRC Core Scientist
Research interests: HIV/TB/Malaria pathogenesis, Bioinformatics, Immunogenetics
Marcel E. Curlin, M.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious diseases, School of Medicine
Joint Appointment as Associate Professor at VGTI
Clinical Research Interest: HIV Vaccine research, emerging infectious diseases and development of international collaborative research initiatives between OHSU and partners in Southeast Asia
Nancy Haigwood, Ph.D.
Professor and Director ONPRC
Research interests: HIV humoral immunity and pathogenesis
Morgan Hakki, M.D.
Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine
Division Head, Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine
Affiliate Faculty, Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute, OHSU
Research interest: Infections in the immunocompromised host (non-HIV)
Cytomegalovirus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Ann J. Hessell, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor
Research interests: HIV humoral immunity and pathogenesis
Aleksandra Sikora, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Oregon State University
Adjunct Associate Professor, Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute, OHSU
Research Interests: Therapeutic interventions against gonorrhea.
Fikadu G. Tafesse, PhD
Associate Professor, Molecular Microbiology & Immunology
Research interest: host-pathogen interactions