|
|
MEJIAS LABORATORY
Our lab studies the pathogenesis of respiratory viral infections in depth, with particular emphasis on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). RSV infection is the leading cause of hospitalization in infants in the US, however therapeutic options are limited and no vaccine is yet available to prevent the infection. To gain insight in to the pathogenesis of the disease we have developed a global, multidisciplinary approach, performing studies in the mouse model of RSV and in children with respiratory viral infections. In parallel, we perform detailed studies on the virus itself and we are characterizing the host differences in disease severity applying microarray analysis. Gene expression analyses has allowed us to better understand the mechanisms of the disease, but also to assess disease severity, responses to therapy and eventually predict outcomes in children with RSV, influenza or rhinovirus infections among others.
|
| Education |
| 2006 |
|
Fellowship |
|
Pediatric Infectious Diseases |
|
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX |
| 2003 |
|
Post-doctoral Fellow |
|
Pediatric Infectious Diseases |
|
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX |
| 2001 |
|
Residency |
|
Pediatrics |
|
Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain |
| 1995 |
|
M.D. |
|
Medicine |
|
Facultad Medicina Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain |
| Professional Experience |
| 2009- PRES |
Investigator, Center for Vaccines and Immunity, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital |
| 2009- PRES |
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Nationwide Children's Hospital. |
| 2007- 2009 |
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
|
| 2007- 2009 |
Clinical Research Scholar, Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. |
| 2006- 2007 |
Senior Research Scientist, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. |
Research Interests
Asuncion Mejias, MD is a new member in the Center for Vaccines and Immunity. Asun is a Pediatric Infectious Diseases specialist, who completed her pediatric fellowship and a post-doctoral fellowship studying the pathogenesis of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infection in the laboratory of Dr. Octavio Ramilo at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Subsequently, she joined the faculty at UT Southwestern where she was elected as a Clinical Research Scholar and continued and expanded her research to other respiratory viral pathogens such as rhinovirus. Since 2003 she has also been using microarray analysis to better understand the pathogenesis of respiratory viral infections (RSV, influenza and rhinovirus) and identifying biomarkers of disease severity in children with RSV and other viral infections.
|
| Selected Publications |
| Somers C, Naveed A, Mejías A, Buckingham S. C, Carubelli C, Katz-Gaynor K, Leos N, Gomez A, DeVincenzo J.P, Ramilo O, Jafri H.S. Effect of dexamethasone on RSV-induced lung inflammation in children: results of a randomized, placebo controlled clinical trial. Ped Allergy and Immunol 2009: 20 (5):477-85 PubMed ID: 19397752 |
| Ramilo O, Mejias A. Shifting the Paradigm: Host Gene Signatures for Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases. Cell and Host Microbe 2009: 9 (in press) |
| Mejías A, Bustos R, Ardura M, Ramírez C, Sánchez PJ. Persistence of Herpes Simplex Virus DNA in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Neonates with Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis. J Perinatol 2009 (4): 290-6. PubMed ID: 19194454 |
| Estripeaut D, Torrres JP, Somers C, Tagliabue C, Khokhar S, Bohj V.G, Grube S, Wozniakowski A, Gomez A, Ramilo O, Jafri H and Mejías A. Respiratory Syncytial Virus persistence in the lungs correlates with airway hyperreactivity in the mouse model. J Infect Dis 2008; 198: 1435-43. PubMed ID: 18828742 |
| G. Pérez-Yarza E, Moreno A, Lazaro P, Mejías A and Ramilo O. The Association between Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection and the Development of Childhood Asthma: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal 2007; 26: 733-39. PubMed ID: 17848887 |
| Mejías A, Chavez-Bueno S, Raynor M.B, Connolly J, Kiener P.A, Jafri HS, Ramilo O. Motavizumab, an enhanced anti-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) neutralizing monoclonal antibody significantly modifies the local and systemic cytokine responses induced by RSV in the mouse model. Virol J 2007; Oct 25; 4(1):109. PubMed ID: 17961258 |
| Mejías A., Chávez-Bueno S and Ramilo O. Respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia: mechanisms of inflammation and prolonged airway hyperresponsiveness. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases 2005: 18(3): 199-204. PubMed ID: 15864095 |
| Mejías A, Chávez-Bueno S. Ríos A.M, Fonseca Aten M., Raynor B., Peromingo E., Soni P., Olsen K.D, Kiener, PA, Gómez A.M, Jafri H.S. and Ramilo O. Comparative Effect of Two Neutralizing anti-RSV Monoclonal Antibodies in the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Murine Model. Time versus Potency. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2005: 49 (11): 4700-7. PubMed ID: 16251314 |
| Mejías A. Chávez-Bueno S., Ríos A.M., Saavedra-Lozano J., Fonseca-Aten M., Hatfield J., Kapur P., Gómez A.M, Jafri H.S. and Ramilo O. Anti-RSV Neutralizing Antibody decreases lung inflammation, airway obstruction and airway hyperresponsiveness in the Respiratory Syncytial Virus model. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2004: 48 (5); 1811-1822. PubMed ID: 15105140 |
| Mejías A., Chavez-Bueno S. and Ramilo O. Human Metapneumovirus: A Not so new Virus. CME review. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 2004: 23 (1): 1-10. |
|
