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David Esteban

Assistant Professor of Biology

Olmsted Hall Room 303
Phone: 845-437-7441

Website: http://faculty.vassar.edu/daesteban

Contact David Esteban

  • B.Sc., University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
  • Ph.D., Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri
  • Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Research Interests

My research focuses on viruses of the family poxviridae, double-stranded DNA viruses with large genomes encoding approximately 200 genes. Members of this family include variola virus (the causative agent of smallpox) and the emergent monkeypox virus, which causes a smallpox-like disease in humans. The large genome of the poxviruses encodes numerous products targeting the immune system, such as soluble cytokine and chemokine binding proteins. This includes the Interleukin-18 binding protein which blocks IL-18 activity thereby reducing Natural Killer-cell activity and Interferon-gamma levels, both key components of an antiviral response (my thesis work). Currently, we are using bioinformatics to understand the evolution of the IL-18BP and other poxvirus genes. We are also investigating the role of non-coding RNA in the virus life-cycle.

This research has broad reaching impact beyond basic poxvirology. Due to the threat of the use of variola virus as a biological weapon, and the potential for monkeypox virus to cause a dangerous epidemic, vaccinia virus continues to be an important vaccine. As we explore virus-host interactions we can better understand the fascinating relationship between the host (ie you) and these obligate parasites.

Teaching Interests

  • Biol 106 (F07): Introduction to Biological Process
  • Biol 370 (F07): Immunology
  • Biol 205 (S08): Introduction to Microbiology
  • Biol 105 (F08): Introduction to Biology: Viruses and their Hosts
  • Biol 172/STS 172 (F08): Microbial Wars

Selected Publications

  1. Esteban, D.J., Syed, A., Upton, C. Organizing and updating whole genome BLAST searches with ReHAB (2007) Methods in Molecular Biology, 395; 187-94.
  2. Li, G., Chen, N., Feng, Z., Buller, R.M.L., Harms, T., Damon, I., Upton, C. and Esteban, D.J. Genomic sequence and analysis of a Vaccinia Virus isolate from a patient with a smallpox vaccine-related complication. (2006) Virology Journal, 3:88.
  3. Esteban, D.J. and Buller, R.M.L. Ectromelia virus: the causative agent of mousepox. (2005) Journal of General Virology, 86(10); 2661-2672
  4. Esteban, D.J., DaSilva, M., and Upton, C. New Bioinformatics Tools for Viral Genome Analyses at Viral Bioinformatics – Canada. (2005) Pharmacogenomics, 6(3): 271-80
  5. Esteban, D. J. and Buller R.M.L. Identification of residues in an orthopoxvirus interleukin-18 binding protein involved in ligand binding and species specificity. (2004) Virology, 323(2): 197-207
  6. Esteban, D. J., Nuara A.A., and Buller R.M.L. Interleukin-18 and glycosamino-glycan binding by a protein encoded by Variola virus. (2004) Journal of General Virology, 85(Pt 5): 1291-9
  7. Born, T.L., Morrison, L.A., Esteban, D.J., VandenBos, T., Thebeau, L.G., Chen, N., Spriggs, M.K., Sims, J.E., and Buller, R.M.L. A poxvirus protein that binds to and inactivates IL-18, and inhibits NK cell response. (2000) Journal of Immunology, 164(6): 3246-3254

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