Faculty

Robert A. Davey, Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director
radavey@utmb.edu
MRB, Route 1019
Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Phone: (409)772-4915
Fax: (409)772-5065

Education:	Ph.D. | 1993 | University Adelaide, Australia
	B.Sc. | 1988 | University of Adelaide, Australia

Overview

Murine Leukemia Viruses, Gene Therapy, Viral entry.

Research Interests

Dr. Davey's research focuses on how membrane enveloped viruses enter cells. He has developed new technologies to address the question of the cellular factors required for virus entry and a new luciferase-based virus entry assay that measures entry by emission of light. This real-time assay is more sensitive than other conventional assays, and as few as 200 entry events can be detected. The Davey group is working to identify novel genes important in the entry of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, Ebola and retroviruses (murine leukemia virus and HIV). This novel system is also the foundation of new diagnostic assays for pathogen detection. He is also working to develop nanotechnology-based virus systems and developed methods to target nanoparticles to cells by transferring virus envelope proteins onto nanoparticles, while maintaining their cell binding and membrane penetration properties. The nanoparticles can be of varying composition, but can encapsulate therapeutic particles such as drugs, genes or proteins. These  nanoshuttles specifically target the cells and tissues used by the original virus, but are non-infectious. This versatile, non-infectious system promises to be able to deliver nanomedicines not only into diseased cells but also into specific sub-cellular compartments.

Recent Publications

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