Shelby O'Connor

Research Detail

SIV pathogenesis and vaccine projects: We are interested in improving the immune response to SIV/HIV in someone who is already infected.  To do this, we are exploring how immunomodulatory agents can boost antiviral immunity and suppress virus replication.

SIV/Mtb co-infection studies: HIV+ individuals rapidly become sick after co-infection with secondary pathogens, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). We are interested in understanding why HIV+ immunocomprimised individuals are unable to control bacterial replication. We hope these studies will help identify critical therapeutic interventions to prevent HIV+ individuals from becoming sick with tuberculosis.

Selected Publications

• Ellis-Connell AL, Kannal NM, Balgeman AJ, O’Connor SL. 2019. Characterization of major histocompatibility complex-related molecule 1 sequence variants in non-human primates. Immunogenetics 71:109–121.
• Rodgers MA, Ameel C, Ellis-Connell AL, Balgeman AJ, Maiello P, Barry GL, Friedrich TC, Klein E, O’Connor SL, Scanga CA. 2018. Preexisting Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection Increases Susceptibility to Tuberculosis in Mauritian Cynomolgus Macaques. Infect Immun 86
• Sutton MS, Ellis-Connell A, Moriarty RV, Balgeman AJ, Gellerup D, Barry G, Weiler AM, Friedrich TC, O’Connor SL. 2018. Acute-Phase CD4⁺ T Cell Responses Targeting Invariant Viral Regions Are Associated with Control of Live Attenuated Simian Immunodeficiency Virus. J Virol 92
• Ellis-Connell AL, Balgeman AJ, Zarbock KR, Barry G, Weiler A, Egan JO, Jeng EK, Friedrich T, Miller JS, Haase AT, Schacker TW, Wong HC, Rakasz E, O’Connor SL. 2018. ALT-803 Transiently Reduces Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Replication in the Absence of Antiretroviral Treatment. J Virol 92:e01748–17.