-  Faculty Experts   -  News by Topic   -  News by School Search News & Info WUSTL in the News   - Powered by Google WUSTL Home Public Affairs Home University News Medical News Sports News Radio Service Business, Law & Econ Culture & Living Science & Technology Contact Information TV/Radio Studio Visiting Our Campuses Campus Images Sports photography Commercial Filming    and Photography Commercial Use of    Names and Symbols Domain Name policy Record (newspaper) Campus Calendars WUSTL News Summary Publications Online Facts, Guides & Maps		Washington University in St. Louis News & Information > Faculty Experts at Washington University in St. Louis > Roy Curtiss III Professor emeritus of biology in Arts & Sciences Professor, Biology Expertise: Salmonella, food poisoning, FDA, vaccine, genetic engineering, microbial, pathogen, transgenic, antigen, immune system Bio: Roy Curtiss Download Has developed a Salmonella-based oral vaccine for livestock that can free animals from the virulent strain of Salmonella that causes food-poisoning in humans. His vaccine has received FDA approval for swine and poultry and is on the market. Curtiss also has obtained patents for the use of transgenic plants as edible vaccines. Washington University investigators hope to use this technique to protect against infection by bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic pathogens. WUSTL Contact Information: Work: (314) 935-6819 E-mail: rcurtiss@wustl.edu Address: Campus Box 1137 One Brookings Drive St. Louis, MO 63130 Education: Ph.D. in Biology at University of Chicago Additional Background: Research conducted over more than 20 years by Curtiss has focused on understanding microbial pathogens that cause disease and how they affect the immune system. He has used genetic engineering techniques to develop vaccines that help an individual induce immune responses against the foreign antigens. Since the 1970s, Curtiss and his research group have sought to define the biochemical bases and genetic controls by which bacterial pathogens cause tooth decay, gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, leprosy, pneumonia and septicemia (blood poisoning). In 1997, Curtiss and Guy Cardineau, a scientist with Mycogen Corporation of San Diego, were granted three United States patents on technology they co-invented for using transgenic (or genetically engineered) plants as edible vaccines. The concept was to endow plants with the genetic ability to synthesize proteins or other antigens normally present on the surface of various disease agents. Upon ingestion of the plant material, an animal or human would recognize the pathogen antigens as foreign and mount an immune response that would protect against infection.			Related Information Media Assistance: Tony Fitzpatrick Senior Science Editor tony_fitzpatrick@wustl.edu (314) 935-5272 Related Links: • Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis Program • Immunology Program • Molecular Cell Biology Program Related Groups: Schools: • School of Medicine Departments: • Biology • Pathology Programs: • Allergy / Immunology - View All Groups Related Topics: • Bioterrorism • Life Sciences • Medical Genetics • Plant Sciences / Agriculture • War / Terrorism - View All Topics Revised: Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007   Email this page   Print ready page Subscribe WUSTL News by E-mail
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