Our trainees present their posters at IIDR Trainee Day
November 10, 2023
Nuzhat Rahman presents a talk at the Perey Symposium
June 15, 2023
Our team attends the American Society for Reproductive Immunology Conference in Santa Fe
May 25, 2023
June 15, 2023
An article on LAMP3/CD63 Expression in Endosomes in Human Vaginal Epithelial Cells published in Journal of Virology
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Dr. Biban Gill presents at the 2022 IIDR Trainee Day
November 16, 2022
September 22, 2022
Congratulations to Amanda Bakke for successfully defending her Master's thesis!
July 28, 2022
The Kaushic Lab attends the AIDS 2022 conference in Montreal, Canada
July 3, 2022
Congratulations to Dr. Biban Gill for being awarded the CIHR Post-doctoral Fellowship
June 21, 2022
Congratulations to Jack Yang for successfully defending his Master's Thesis
June 2, 2022
Congratulations to Ingrid Schwecht for winning best Undergraduate Talk at the 2022 MIRC Perey Symposium
March 9, 2022
Congratulations to Sidney and Maddie for successfully defending!
April 28, 2022
Congratulations to Dr. Nazli for receiving a full scholarship to attend the 24th international AIDS conference in Montreal
September 30, 2021
Congratulations to Tushar Dhawan for sucessfully defending his Master's thesis
March 23, 2021
Dr. Kaushic is part of a COVID-19 town hall presented by the Globe and Mail and the Royal Society of Canada
January 7, 2021
An article on COVID-19 by Dr. Kaushic is published in the Globe and Mail
July 6, 2020
Congratulations to Dr. Bagri for successfully defending her PhD
May 7, 2020
Congratulations to Ramtin Ghasemi for successfully defending his Master's thesis
May 6, 2020
Congratulations to Haley Dupont for successfully defending her Master's thesis
June 15, 2019
Congratulations to Ramtin for winning the John Gudson Award at the annual American Society for Reproductive Immunology Conference
May 29, 2019
Congratulations to Allison and Puja for winning the Outstanding Oral Presentation awards at the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Plenary
March 15, 2019
Allison attends the 66th Annual Scientific Meeting for the Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI) in Paris, France
January 30, 2019
Congratulations to Jeff Lam for successfully defending his Master's thesis
November 12, 2018
Congratulations to Allison on receiving a CIHR travel Award to present in an upcoming conference
November 6, 2018
Congratulations to Ryan on being runner-up for the IIDR Award of Excellence undergraduate award
November 9, 2018
Congratulations to Puja for recieving the Michael Kamin Hart Memorial scholarship
Publications
2023
Schwecht, I., Nazli, A., Gill, B. et al. Lactic acid enhances vaginal epithelial barrier integrity and ameliorates inflammatory effects of dysbiotic short chain fatty acids and HIV-1. Sci Rep 13, 20065 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-47172-y
Gill B, Schwecht I, Rahman N, et al. Metabolic signature for a dysbiotic microbiome in the female genital tract: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Reprod Immunol. 2023; 90:e13781. https://doi.org/10.1111/aji.13781
Rahman N, Mian MF, Nazli A, Kaushic C. Human vaginal microbiota colonization is regulated by female sex hormones in a mouse model. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2023 Dec 13;13:1307451. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1307451.
2022
Nazli A, Chow R, Zahoor MA, Workenhe ST, Dhawan T, Verschoor C, Kaushic C. LAMP3/CD63 Expression in Early and Late Endosomes in Human Vaginal Epithelial Cells Is Associated with Enhancement of HSV-2 Infection. J Virol. 2022 Nov 9:e0155322. doi: 10.1128/jvi.01553-22. Online ahead of print. PMID: 36350153.
Bagri P, Anipindi VC, Kaushic C. The Role of IL-17 During Infections in the Female Reproductive Tract. Front Immunol. 2022 Apr 14;13:861444. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.861444. PMID: 35493460.
2021
Felker AM, Nguyen P, Kaushic C. Primary HSV-2 Infection in Early Pregnancy Results in Transplacental Viral Transmission and Dose-Dependent Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in a Novel Mouse Model. Viruses. 2021 Sep 25;13(10):1929. doi: 10.3390/v13101929. PMID: 34696359; PMCID: PMC8538385.
Gillgrass A, Wessels JM, Yang JX, Kaushic C. Advances in Humanized Mouse Models to Improve Understanding of HIV-1 Pathogenesis and Immune Responses. Front Immunol. 2021 Mar 5;11:617516. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.617516. PMID: 33746940; PMCID: PMC7973037.
Wessels JM, Nguyen PV, Vitali D, Mueller K, Vahedi F, Felker AM, Dupont HA, Bagri P, Verschoor CP, Deshiere A, Mazzulli T, Tremblay MJ, Ashkar AA, Kaushic C. Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) enhances susceptibility and increases the window of vulnerability to HIV-1 in humanized mice. Sci Rep. 2021 Feb 16;11(1):3894. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-83242-9. PMID: 33594113; PMCID: PMC7887257.
Woods MW, Zahoor MA, Lam J, Bagri P, Dupont H, Verschoor CP, Nazli A, Kaushic C. Transcriptional response of vaginal epithelial cells to medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment results in decreased barrier integrity. J Reprod Immunol. 2021 Feb;143:103253. doi: 10.1016/j.jri.2020.103253. Epub 2020 Dec 1. PMID: 33285485.
Dhawan T, Zahoor MA, Heryani N, Workenhe ST, Nazli A, Kaushic C. TRIM26 Facilitates HSV-2 Infection by Downregulating Antiviral Responses through the IRF3 Pathway. Viruses. 2021 Jan 6;13(1):70. doi: 10.3390/v13010070. PMID: 33419081; PMCID: PMC7825454.
2020
Bagri P, Ghasemi R, McGrath JJC, Thayaparan D, Yu E, Brooks AG, Stämpfli MR, Kaushic C. Estradiol Enhances Antiviral CD4+ Tissue-Resident Memory T Cell Responses following Mucosal Herpes Simplex Virus 2 Vaccination through an IL-17-Mediated Pathway. J Virol. 2020 Dec 9;95(1):e01206-20. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01206-20. PMID: 33028712.
Vitali D, Bagri P, Wessels JM, Arora M, Ganugula R, Parikh A, Mandur T, Felker A, Garg S, Kumar MNVR, Kaushic C. Curcumin Can Decrease Tissue Inflammation and the Severity of HSV-2 Infection in the Female Reproductive Mucosa. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Jan 4;21(1):337. doi: 10.3390/ijms21010337. PMID: 31947962.
2020
Bagri P, Ghasemi R, McGrath JJC, Thayaparan D, Yu E, Brooks AG, Stämpfli MR, Kaushic C. Estradiol Enhances Antiviral CD4+ Tissue-Resident Memory T Cell Responses following Mucosal Herpes Simplex Virus 2 Vaccination through an IL-17-Mediated Pathway. J Virol. 2020 Dec 9;95(1):e01206-20. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01206-20. PMID: 33028712; PMCID: PMC7737739.
Vitali D, Bagri P, Wessels JM, Arora M, Ganugula R, Parikh A, Mandur T, Felker A, Garg S, Kumar MNVR, Kaushic C. Curcumin Can Decrease Tissue Inflammation and the Severity of HSV-2 Infection in the Female Reproductive Mucosa. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Jan 4;21(1):337. doi: 10.3390/ijms21010337. PMID: 31947962; PMCID: PMC6982333.
2019
Wessels JM, Lajoie J, Cooper MIJH, Omollo K, Felker AM, Vitali D, Dupont HA, Nguyen PV, Mueller K, Vahedi F, Kimani J, Oyugi J, Cheruiyot J, Mungai JN, Deshiere A, Tremblay MJ, Mazzulli T, Stearns JC, Ashkar AA, Fowke KR, Surette MG, Kaushic C. Medroxyprogesterone acetate alters the vaginal microbiota and microenvironment in women and increases susceptibility to HIV-1 in humanized mice. Dis Model Mech. 2019 Oct 23;12(10):dmm039669. doi: 10.1242/dmm.039669. PMID: 31537512; PMCID: PMC6826019.
Dizzell S, Nazli A, Reid G, Kaushic C. Protective Effect of Probiotic Bacteria and Estrogen in Preventing HIV-1-Mediated Impairment of Epithelial Barrier Integrity in Female Genital Tract. Cells. 2019 Sep 21;8(10):1120. doi: 10.3390/cells8101120. PMID: 31546582; PMCID: PMC6829272.
Nazli A, Dizzell S, Zahoor MA, Ferreira VH, Kafka J, Woods MW, Ouellet M, Ashkar AA, Tremblay MJ, Bowdish DM, Kaushic C. Interferon-β induced in female genital epithelium by HIV-1 glycoprotein 120 via Toll-like-receptor 2 pathway acts to protect the mucosal barrier. Cell Mol Immunol. 2019 Feb;16(2):178-194. doi: 10.1038/cmi.2017.168. Epub 2018 Mar 19. PMID: 29553138; PMCID: PMC6355787.
Anipindi VC, Bagri P, Dizzell SE, Jiménez-Saiz R, Jordana M, Snider DP, Stämpfli MR, Kaushic C. IL-17 Production by γδ+ T Cells Is Critical for Inducing Th17 Responses in the Female Genital Tract and Regulated by Estradiol and Microbiota. Immunohorizons. 2019 Jul 17;3(7):317-330. doi: 10.4049/immunohorizons.1900040. PMID: 31356161.
2019
Wessels JM, Lajoie J, Cooper MIJH, Omollo K, Felker AM, Vitali D, Dupont HA, Nguyen PV, Mueller K, Vahedi F, Kimani J, Oyugi J, Cheruiyot J, Mungai JN, Deshiere A, Tremblay MJ, Mazzulli T, Stearns JC, Ashkar AA, Fowke KR, Surette MG, Kaushic C. Medroxyprogesterone acetate alters the vaginal microbiota and microenvironment in women and increases susceptibility to HIV-1 in humanized mice. Dis Model Mech. 2019 Oct 23;12(10):dmm039669. doi: 10.1242/dmm.039669.PMID: 31537512.
Dizzell S, Nazli A, Reid G, Kaushic C. Protective Effect of Probiotic Bacteria and Estrogen in Preventing HIV-1-Mediated Impairment of Epithelial Barrier Integrity in Female Genital Tract. Cells. 2019 Sep 21;8(10):1120. doi: 10.3390/cells8101120.PMID: 31546582.
Anipindi VC, Bagri P, Dizzell SE, Jiménez-Saiz R, Jordana M, Snider DP, Stämpfli MR, Kaushic C. IL-17 Production by γδ+ T Cells Is Critical for Inducing Th17 Responses in the Female Genital Tract and Regulated by Estradiol and Microbiota. Immunohorizons. 2019 Jul 17;3(7):317-330. doi:10.4049/immunohorizons.1900040.PMID: 31356161.
Nazli A, Dizzell S, Zahoor MA, Ferreira VH, Kafka J, Woods MW, Ouellet M, Ashkar AA, Tremblay MJ, Bowdish DM, Kaushic C. Interferon-β induced in female genital epithelium by HIV-1 glycoprotein 120 via Toll-like-receptor 2 pathway acts to protect the mucosal barrier. Cell Mol Immunol. 2019 Feb;16(2):178-194. doi: 10.1038/cmi.2017.168. PMID: 29553138.
2018
Dupont HA, Lam J, Woods MW, Zahoor MA, Kaushic C. Hormonal influence on HIV-1 transmission in the female genital tract: New insights from systems biology. Am J Reprod Immunol. 2018 Aug;80(2):e13019. doi: 10.1111/aji.13019. Epub 2018 Jul 16. PMID: 30014538.
Wessels JM, Felker AM, Dupont HA, Kaushic C. The relationship between sex hormones, the vaginal microbiome and immunity in HIV-1 susceptibility in women. Dis Model Mech. 2018 Aug 28;11(9):dmm035147. doi: 10.1242/dmm.035147. PMID: 30154116; PMCID: PMC6177003.
Woods MW, Zahoor MA, Dizzell S, Verschoor CP, Kaushic C. Medroxyprogesterone acetate-treated human, primary endometrial epithelial cells reveal unique gene expression signature linked to innate immunity and HIV-1 susceptibility. Am J Reprod Immunol. 2018 Jan;79(1). doi: 10.1111/aji.12781. Epub 2017 Nov 6. PMID: 29105931.
Zahoor MA, Woods MW, Dizzell S, Nazli A, Mueller KM, Nguyen PV, Verschoor CP, Kaushic C. Transcriptional profiling of primary endometrial epithelial cells following acute HIV-1 exposure reveals gene signatures related to innate immunity. Am J Reprod Immunol. 2018 Apr;79(4):e12822. doi: 10.1111/aji.12822. Epub 2018 Feb 8. PMID: 29418026.
2017
Vitali D, Wessels JM, Kaushic C. Role of sex hormones and the vaginal microbiome in susceptibility and mucosal immunity to HIV-1 in the female genital tract. AIDS Res Ther. 2017 Sep 12;14(1):39. doi: 10.1186/s12981-017-0169-4. PMID: 28893284; PMCID: PMC5594427.
Wessels JM, Lajoie J, Vitali D, Omollo K, Kimani J, Oyugi J, Cheruiyot J, Kimani M, Mungai JN, Akolo M, Stearns JC, Surette MG, Fowke KR, Kaushic C. Association of high-risk sexual behaviour with diversity of the vaginal microbiota and abundance of Lactobacillus. PLoS One. 2017 Nov 2;12(11):e0187612. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187612. PMID: 29095928; PMCID: PMC5667760.
Nguyen PV, Wessels JM, Mueller K, Vahedi F, Anipindi V, Verschoor CP, Chew M, Deshiere A, Karniychuk U, Mazzulli T, Tremblay MJ, Ashkar AA, Kaushic C. Frequency of Human CD45+ Target Cells is a Key Determinant of Intravaginal HIV-1 Infection in Humanized Mice. Sci Rep. 2017 Nov 10;7(1):15263. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-15630-z. PMID: 29127409; PMCID: PMC5681573.
Bagri P, Anipindi VC, Nguyen PV, Vitali D, Stämpfli MR, Kaushic C. Novel Role for Interleukin-17 in Enhancing Type 1 Helper T Cell Immunity in the Female Genital Tract following Mucosal Herpes Simplex Virus 2 Vaccination. J Virol. 2017 Nov 14;91(23):e01234-17. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01234-17. PMID: 28956763; PMCID: PMC5686749.
2016
Lee Y, Dizzell SE, Leung V, Nazli A, Zahoor MA, Fichorova RN, Kaushic C. Effects of Female Sex Hormones on Susceptibility to HSV-2 in Vaginal Cells Grown in Air-Liquid Interface. Viruses. 2016 Aug 30;8(9):241. doi: 10.3390/v8090241. PMID: 27589787; PMCID: PMC5035955.
Anipindi VC, Bagri P, Roth K, Dizzell SE, Nguyen PV, Shaler CR, Chu DK, Jiménez-Saiz R, Liang H, Swift S, Nazli A, Kafka JK, Bramson J, Xing Z, Jordana M, Wan Y, Snider DP, Stampfli MR, Kaushic C. Estradiol Enhances CD4+ T-Cell Anti-Viral Immunity by Priming Vaginal DCs to Induce Th17 Responses via an IL-1-Dependent Pathway. PLoS Pathog. 2016 May 5;12(5):e1005589. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005589. Erratum in: PLoS Pathog. 2016 Jun;12(6):e1005706. PMID: 27148737; PMCID: PMC4858291.
Xiu F, Anipindi VC, Nguyen PV, Boudreau J, Liang H, Wan Y, Snider DP, Kaushic C. High Physiological Concentrations of Progesterone Reverse Estradiol-Mediated Changes in Differentiation and Functions of Bone Marrow Derived Dendritic Cells. PLoS One. 2016 Apr 11;11(4):e0153304. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153304. PMID: 27064901; PMCID: PMC4827838.