Jonas Thomsen: Mutation of Potential Immunosuppressive Domains in Viral Envelope Proteins – on the Path to Generate Hyperimmunogenic Proteins for New and Improved Vaccines
PhD defence, Thursday 23 November 2017, Jonas Thomsen.
During his studies, Jonas Thomsen researched the envelope proteins of Ebola virus, Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus, and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus (PRRSV). The envelope proteins mediates the entry of the viral particles and the release of the viral genome into host cytoplasm. Viruses have developed a range of immune evasion strategies in the ever running arms race between pathogens and the host immune system. One of the strategies is downregulation of the host innate immune response. A range of viral proteins have been demonstrated to mediate the modulation of immune response, here amongst a specific conserved domain of the transmembrane subunit of the retroviral envelope protein, named immunosuppressive domain (ISD). Jonas Thomsen has investigated if amino acid substitution mutations in the potential ISDs of Ebola, MERS, and PRRSV envelope proteins will affect the infectivity of the viruses. The aim of the study is to produce hyperimmunogenic proteins for the purpose of the development of new and improved vaccines for the three viruses.
The PhD degree was completed at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetic, Science and Technology, Aarhus University.
This résumé was prepared by the PhD student.
Time: Thursday 23 November 2017 at 13.00
Place: Building 1324, room 011, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 10, 8000 Aarhus C
Title of dissertation: Mutation of candidate immunosuppressive domains of viral envelope proteins in order to generate hyperimmunogenic vaccines.
Contact information: Jonas Thomsen, e-mail: jo07@mbg.au.dk, tel.: +45 25212865
Members of the assessment committee:
Staff scientist, group leader, Mireia Pelegrin, Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, France
Associate professor Peter Johannes Holst, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Cogenhagen, Denmark
Associate professor Ditlev Egeskov Brodersen (chair), Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor:
Professor Finn Skou Pedersen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus Universitet
Co-supervisor:
Senior Researcher Mogens Duch, PhD
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English
The defence is public.
The dissertation is available for reading at the Graduate School of Science and Technology/GSST,
Ny Munkegade 120, building 1520, rooms 128-134, 8000 Aarhus C.