Robert H. Yolken, M.D. - Director

Dr. Yolken is a virologist who became interested in the study of serious psychiatric disease at the suggestion of Dr. E. Fuller Torrey, now of the Stanley Medical Research Institute. Dr. Yolken developed many of the diagnostic assays for viral infections which are in current use. He has applied these methods for the detection of infectious agents which might be involved in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism and related disorder (see Department/Programs section of this website). He is author or coauthor of more than 250 scientific papers and several recent books, including the Manual of Clinical Microbiology and Beasts of the Earth. He also contributes to the laboratory by providing the photographs which cover the walls of the corridors and offices of the Stanley Laboratory. Some of these can be seen at http://www.pbase.com/rhyolken/exhibit.

Raphael P. Viscidi, M.D. - Professor

Dr. Viscidi is a virologist, whose primary interest is in papovaviruses, including human papillomavirus (HPV) and polyomaviruses (PV). These viruses are very common in human populations but rarely caue disease. HPV is the etiological agent of cervical and other anogenital cancers and a subset of oral cancers. PVs are responsible for a rare fatal brain diseaes and nephropathy in renal transplant recipients. Both viruses encode oncoproteins and thus are the subject of continuing investigations as causative agents in diverse human cancers. The focus of research in Dr. Viscidi’s laboratory over the last several years has been studies of humorl immune responses to HPV and PV using virus like particles (VLP) based enzyme linked immunosorbent assays. He has conducted many cancer case control and populations based seroepidemiological studies of HPV and PV infection. His laboratory has expertise in production of virus like particles using th baculovirus expression system and another focus of research is the development of VLP-based vaccines and studies of immunological properties of VLPs. The laboratory has an active program to develop candidate VLP vaccines for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and avian influenza virus, and chimeric VLPs as platforms for vaccines for other infectious agents. In collaboration with other groups, Dr. Visidi studies the ability of VLP based vaccines to activate innate immune responses. Another very different area of study in the laboratory is population genetics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. In collaboration with a molecular evolutionist, Dr. Viscidi is studying temporal trends and epidemiological correlates of the population structure of N. Gonorrhoeae in Baltimore.

Lorraine V. Jones-Brando, Ph.D - Research Associate

Dr. Jones-Brando is a virologist working in the Stanley Laboratories. Her research revolves around the laboratory’s working theory than an infectious agent plays a crucial role in the development of serious psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Dr. Jones-Brando uses the tissue banks available to the lab (brain,CSF, serum) to search by classical virology, molecular biology, and histochemical techniques for viral particles or macromolecules. In addition, she uses virus-host cell or parasite-host cell systems to study the effects of common and new neuroleptics on infectious agents.

Emily Severance, Ph.D - Research Associate

Dr. Severance is studying several aspects of immunological dysfunction in neuropsychiatric diseases. In some cases of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, a heightened humoral immune response against a variety of antigens including infectious agents and food-derived bioactive peptides is evident. Dr. Severance is investigating the mechanisms by which respiratory viruses and caseins could contribute to the etiology of these diseases and how a generalized state of immune activation could also explain the observed increases in antibody levels. Dr. Severance is also interested in understanding why people with schizophrenia have such high rates of smoking and if disease-associated nicotine effects are due to immune or neurological deficits.

Sarven Sabunciyan, Ph.D - Research Asssociate

Dr. Sabunciyan’s research focuses on identifying biomarkers for major mental disorders. Dr. Sabunciyan is currently trying to determine if SNP’s in genes involved in brain development correlate with these illnesses. He is also examining the methylation state of DNA between healthy controls and mentally ill individuals to see if there are any differences. Previously, Dr. Sabunciyan developed several ELISA assays to measure serum antibody levels of human endogenous retrovirus W antigens in schizophrenia and bipolar patients.

Jie Li, Ph.D

Dr. Jie Li's research is directed toward development of a SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) vaccine based on virus-like particles (VLPs) produced in baculovirus and yeast expression systems by expression of the viral capsid proteins. He is investigating the combination of coronaviral structural proteins required for assembly, optimal methods for purification of VLPs, and the immunogenicity of different particle preparations. In collaboration with colleagues from the FDA, he will test the protective efficacy of a SARS VLP vaccine in animal challenge models of SARS CoV infection.

Jian-Xhun Xiao, Ph.D

Dr. Xiao is working in Dr. Robert Yolken's laboratory. Her interests include the biology of Toxoplasma gondii and the detection of Toxoplasma in human samples. She received her Ph.D degree from Zhongshan (Sun Yat-Sen) University)

Claudia Bordon - Research Specialist

Ms. Bordon works with Dr. Jones-Brando in the cell culture/virology laboratoy. She maintains all cell cultures and parasite/virus stocks. In addition, she performs in vitor assays of drugs to determine efficacy against a variety of infectious agents.

Ann C. Cusic, Administrative Manager

Ms. Cusic is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Division which includes payroll, ordering of supplies, maintenance of Divisional server, teleconferencing unit, preparation of all research grants and manuscripts, time and attendance for support staff, and the maintenance of the website. In addition, Ms. Cusic is responsible for receiving all samples that are sent to Dr. Yolken’s lab, logging the samples in, issuing a study number, issuing a JHU sample number, entering all of the test data. She is also responsible for the coordination of the annual Stanley meeting. In addition, Ms. Cusic is the liaison for the Division with the Department of Pediatrics’ Business office, School of Medicine Research Administration, School of Medicine Research Accounting, Hopkins International Office, and the Stanley Medical Research Institute.

Flora J. Leister - Senior Research Technician

Ms. Leister works in Dr. Yolken’s laboratory. She is currently using Brain DNA and cDNA in Real Time PCR looking for SNPs and gene expression, respectively. She also test Serum DNA for SNPs and for viral expression, as well as supplying these samples to other labs for their research.

Ruby L. Mason - Laboratory Technician II

Ms. Mason assists the faculty, fellow and research technicians in Dr. Yolken’s laboratories. She keeps inventory of the laboratory supplies room. She also assists the Administrative Manager with copying, faxing, delivery and pick-up of materials from the various offices of the Johns Hopkins University.

Elizabeth Rubalcaba, Research Technician II

Ms. Rubalcaba works in Dr. Viscidi’s Laboratory. She is working on projects that involve the production of virus-like particles. She is also involved in projects to detect genetic changes in endogenous retroviral envelope proteins that may affect changes in expression in human brains.

Barbara R. Silver, Research Technician II/Lab Coordinator

Mrs. Silver works in Dr. Viscidi’s laboratory. She develops and performs serologic assays on viral pathogens with known or suspected links to cancer

Lin Xue, Research Technician

Ms. Xue works in Dr. Viscidi’s laboratory. Her principal responsibilities are to generate and propagate recombinant baculoviruses and to purify virus like particles using ultracentrifugation and liquid chromatography methods. She routinely performs Western blots, SDS-PAGE, and protein assays. She is also responsible for performing PCR and PCR product DNA sequencing to characterize genetic variation of strains of N. gonorrhoeae.

Shuojia Yang, Research Technician II

Ms. Yang works in Dr. Yolken’s laboratory. She is investigating the viral gene expression in the brain that may cause several types of psychosis by using PCR, Templiphi/Genimiphi amplification, cloning and sequencing. Some of her other responsibilities include DNA extractions from whole blood and serum, generating large quantity of DNA for the studies. She is also part of the serology study (anti-HERV-W protein antibody in serum).