The "Looney" Connection!

Faculty Page - David J. Looney, M.D.

Work on gene therapy includes the completion of phase I studies evaluating the use of anti-HIV hairpin-loop ribozymes (HIV-Rbz, catalytic RNAs directed ...



....and I bet you can guess which University a certain Creator was connected to!

Dr. Looney's interests "encompass Gene therapy for AIDS, and Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV, or HHV-8). Work on gene therapy includes the completion of phase I studies evaluating the use of anti-HIV hairpin-loop ribozymes (HIV-Rbz, catalytic RNAs directed against HIV RNAs) to protect peripheral CD4+ T-cells (in collaboration with Dr. Flossie Wong-Staal and Dr. Carl June). Dr. Looney also sponsors AIDS Training Grant Fellow Isan Chen, who work centers on the use of lentiviral vectors to transduce pleuripotent stem cells in a murine in utero transplant model (in collaboration with Dr. Ewa Carrier). An are of increasing interest in this field involves development of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) vectors expressing anti-HIV and anti-SIV ribozymes and packaging lines for evaluation in animal models (in collaboration with Dr. Wong-Staal, and Dr. Paul Johnson).

Interests in the field of KSHV/HHV-8 virology include a continued examination of the quantitative virology of HHV-8 replication in patients with Kaposi's sarcoma, and its relationship with disease prognosis, progression, and response to therapy using QC PCR and real-time (ABI7700) PCR for viral quantitation. In addition, exploratory work on the molecular basis of the action of HHV-8 viral MIP-II (vMIP-II) in angiogenesis, and blockade of HIV infection and HIV endothelial transport is expected to develop into a major, funded activity over the coming year."

Note: A new gene-silencing technique that takes place in the nucleus of human cells, has been demonstrated by researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine and the VA San Diego Healthcare System.

Note: Adapting lentiviruses to gene therapy Eric M. Poeschla, Flossie Wong-Staal & David J. Looney