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Christopher Lopez


Christopher LopezMicrobiology Graduate Program
Email: christopher-lopez@uiowa.edu

Lab: Kevin Legge, PhD

Year Entered Into Program: 2017

 

Research

Lower respiratory infections are the 4th leading cause of death worldwide and the leading cause of death among communicable diseases. As such, improving our understanding of the immune response to these infections is critical to develop novel therapeutics against these infections and reduce their associated morbidity and mortality. In the Legge Lab, we are interested in the host immune response to respiratory infection and vaccination. Specifically, my work is divided into three primary projects; 1. Determining the contribution of pulmonary dendritic cells (DC) in the initiation and regulation of T cell responses following Group A Streptococcus infection, 2. The development of a universal influenza A virus (IAV) vaccine that could potentially provide superior, long-term protection against multiple, heterologous strains of IAV known as “IAV-nanovax” and 3) Application of our IAV-nanovax platform to development of a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 infection. 


 

Publication

Lopez CE, Legge KL. Influenza A Virus Vaccination: Immunity, Protection, and Recent Advances Toward A Universal Vaccine. Vaccines. 2020; 8(3):434. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8030434

 

Award

AAI Trainee Abstract Award (AAI 2021)

Virology T32 Training Grant (June 2021- June 2022)


Presentation

 "Regulation of Th17 CD4 T Cell Responses During Pulmonary Group A Streptococcus (GAS) Infections by Dendritic cells" AAI 2021 block symposium - Mucosal Infection and Inflammation