Joan Lunney | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Alma mater | Johns Hopkins University |
| Scientific career | |
| Thesis | Studies on the regulation of serum glycoprotein homeostatis (1976) |
Joan Katherine Lunney is an American government scientific researcher [1] at the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. She is known for her work on swine immunology and genetics. She is an elected member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Joan Lunney received her B.S. degree in chemistry from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1968. Following college she was a high school teacher at Camden Catholic High School in Cherry Hill, NJ. [2] Lunney became interested in pursuing a research career after being exposed to summer research at the Corning Glass Works and at American University. [2] She went on to receive her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Johns Hopkins University in 1976. [2] Lunney then worked as a postdoctoral research associate at the National Institutes of Health within the immunology branch before joining the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service in 1983. [3]
Lunney is recognized internationally for her research accomplishments in swine immunogenetics. [4] Lunney has worked on swine major histocompatibility complex (MHC), specifically the swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) complex. [5] She has contributed to knowledge of how the MHC antigens are recognized by the immune system, which is important in xenotransplantation, [6] and developed the first set of monoclonal antibodies to pig immune cell subsets. [7] She identified swine genetically resistant to Trichinella spiralis . [8] Her subsequent research was on porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), [9] and identifying genetic markers associated with disease resistant pigs. [10]
Lunney was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1998. [11] In 2007, Chestnut College recognized her for distinguishes achievement. [2] She was named to the Hall of Fame for the Agriculture Research Service in 2019. [4] Lunney was named a Meritorious Senior Professional in President Biden's 2022 Presidential Rank Awards. [12]
Trichinosis, also known as trichinellosis, is a parasitic disease caused by roundworms of the Trichinella type. During the initial infection, invasion of the intestines can result in diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting. Migration of larvae to muscle, which occurs about a week after being infected, can cause swelling of the face, inflammation of the whites of the eyes, fever, muscle pains, and a rash. Minor infection may be without symptoms. Complications may include inflammation of heart muscle, central nervous system involvement, and inflammation of the lungs.
Swine influenza is an infection caused by any of several types of swine influenza viruses. Swine influenza virus (SIV) or swine-origin influenza virus (S-OIV) refers to any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs. As of 2009, identified SIV strains include influenza C and the subtypes of influenza A known as H1N1, H1N2, H2N1, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3.
Porcine circoviral disease (PCVD), also known as porcine circovirus associated disease (PCVAD), is a disease seen in domestic pigs. This disease causes illness in piglets, with clinical signs including progressive loss of body condition, visibly enlarged lymph nodes, difficulty in breathing, and sometimes diarrhea, pale skin, and jaundice. PCVD is very damaging to the pig-producing industry and has been reported worldwide. PCVD is caused by Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2).
A cytokine storm, also called hypercytokinemia, is a pathological reaction in humans and other animals in which the innate immune system causes an uncontrolled and excessive release of pro-inflammatory signaling molecules called cytokines. Cytokines are a normal part of the body's immune response to infection, but their sudden release in large quantities may cause multisystem organ failure and death.
Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is a species of bacteria known to cause the disease porcine enzootic pneumonia, a highly contagious and chronic disease affecting pigs. As with other mollicutes, M. hyopneumoniae is small in size (400–1200 nm), has a small genome and lacks a cell wall. It is difficult to grow in laboratories due to its complex nutritional requirements and the high chances of contamination associated with mycoplasma culture. To successfully grow the bacterium, an environment of 5–10% carbon dioxide is required, and the medium should demonstrate an acid colour shift.
Betaarterivirus suid 1, commonly Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), is a virus that causes a disease of pigs, called porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), also known as blue-ear pig disease. This economically important, panzootic disease causes reproductive failure in breeding stock and respiratory tract illness in young pigs.
Pestivirus is a genus of viruses, in the family Flaviviridae. Viruses in the genus Pestivirus infect mammals, including members of the family Bovidae and the family Suidae. There are 11 species in this genus. Diseases associated with this genus include: hemorrhagic syndromes, abortion, and fatal mucosal disease.
Porcine parvovirus (PPV), a virus in the species Ungulate protoparvovirus 1 of genus Protoparvovirus in the virus family Parvoviridae, causes reproductive failure of swine characterized by embryonic and fetal infection and death, usually in the absence of outward maternal clinical signs. The disease develops mainly when seronegative dams are exposed oronasally to the virus anytime during about the first half of gestation, and conceptuses are subsequently infected transplacentally before they become immunocompetent. There is no definitive evidence that infection of swine other than during gestation is of any clinical or economic significance. The virus is ubiquitous among swine throughout the world and is enzootic in most herds that have been tested. Diagnostic surveys have indicated that PPV is the major infectious cause of embryonic and fetal death. In addition to its direct causal role in reproductive failure, PPV can potentiate the effects of porcine circovirus type II (PCV2) infection in the clinical course of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS).
Chlamydia pecorum, also known as Chlamydophila pecorum is a species of Chlamydiaceae that originated from ruminants, such as cattle, sheep and goats. It has also infected koalas and swine. C. pecorum strains are serologically and pathogenically diverse.
The type III interferon group is a group of anti-viral cytokines, that consists of four IFN-λ (lambda) molecules called IFN-λ1, IFN-λ2, IFN-λ3, and IFN-λ4. They were discovered in 2003. Their function is similar to that of type I interferons, but is less intense and serves mostly as a first-line defense against viruses in the epithelium.
CD163 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CD163 gene. CD163 is the high affinity scavenger receptor for the hemoglobin-haptoglobin complex and in the absence of haptoglobin - with lower affinity - for hemoglobin alone. It also is a marker of cells from the monocyte/macrophage lineage. CD163 functions as innate immune sensor for gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The receptor was discovered in 1987.
Chronic systemic inflammation (SI) is the result of release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from immune-related cells and the chronic activation of the innate immune system. It can contribute to the development or progression of certain conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders, and coronary heart disease.
Reproductive immunology refers to a field of medicine that studies interactions between the immune system and components related to the reproductive system, such as maternal immune tolerance towards the fetus, or immunological interactions across the blood-testis barrier. The concept has been used by fertility clinics to explain fertility problems, recurrent miscarriages and pregnancy complications observed when this state of immunological tolerance is not successfully achieved. Immunological therapy is a method for treating many cases of previously "unexplained infertility" or recurrent miscarriage.
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, is a Gram-negative, facultative anaerobic, respiratory pathogen found in pigs. It was first reported in 1957, and was formally declared to be the causative agent of porcine pleuropneumonia in 1964. It was reclassified in 1983 after DNA studies showed it was more closely related to A. lignieresii.
An interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) is a gene that can be expressed in response to stimulation by interferon. Interferons bind to receptors on the surface of a cell, initiating protein signaling pathways within the cell. This interaction leads to the expression of a subset of genes involved in the innate immune system response. ISGs are commonly expressed in response to viral infection, but also during bacterial infection and in the presence of parasites. It's currently estimated that 10% of the human genome is regulated by interferons (IFNs). Interferon stimulated genes can act as an initial response to pathogen invasion, slowing down viral replication and increasing expression of immune signaling complexes. There are three known types of interferon. With approximately 450 genes highly expressed in response to interferon type I. Type I interferon consists of INF-α, INF-β, INF-ω and is expressed in response to viral infection. ISGs induced by type I interferon are associated with viral replication suppression and increase expression of immune signaling proteins. Type II interferon consists only of INF-γ and is associated with controlling intracellular pathogens and tumor suppressor genes. Type III interferon consists of INF-λ and is associated with viral immune response and is key in anti-fungal neutrophil response.
Betaarterivirus suid 2 is a species of enveloped, positive-strand RNA viruses which infect domestic pigs. Members of the species are also known as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus 2. Member viruses are a type of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses (PRRSV). The two types of PRRSV are distinguished by which genomic cluster they are associated with. Type 1 is associated with a LV cluster. Type 2 is associated with a VR2332 cluster.
Xiang-Jin Meng, also known as X.J. Meng, is a Chinese-born American virologist. He is a university distinguished professor at Virginia Tech. He studies emerging, re-emerging and zoonotic viruses of veterinary and human public health significance. He was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 2016, a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2014, a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology in 2012, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The history of coronaviruses is an account of the discovery of the diseases caused by coronaviruses and the diseases they cause. It starts with the first report of a new type of upper-respiratory tract disease among chickens in North Dakota, U.S., in 1931. The causative agent was identified as a virus in 1933. By 1936, the disease and the virus were recognised as unique from other viral disease. They became known as infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), but later officially renamed as Avian coronavirus.
Deborah Kay Dunn-Walters is a British immunologist who is Professor of Immunology at the University of Surrey. Her research considers B-cell development in healthy ageing and in disease, particularly from the viewpoint of antibody repertoires. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dunn-Walters focussed on mapping responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of single cell analyses of the immunological responses to a COVID-19 vaccine. She was a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, and provided the government with scientific advice during the pandemic.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)