Chief, Malaria Vaccine Development Branch
Head, Malaria Cell Biology Section, LMVR
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Institutes of Health
1956 B.S., Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania
1960 M.D., Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri
1964 M.S., Columbia University, New York, New York
2010 – present Head, Malaria Cell Biology Section
2006 – 2010 Chief, Malaria Vaccine Development Branch
1998 – 2006 Co-Chief, Malaria Vaccine Development Branch, NIH, Bethesda, MD
1995 – 2002 Chief, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD
1992 - 1994 Chief, Laboratory of Malaria Research, NIH, Bethesda, MD
1971 ‑ 1992 Head, Malaria Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIH,
1983 – 1985 Visiting Lecturer on Tropical Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health,
1971 Associate Professor, Tropical Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons,
Columbia University, New York, New York
1967 ‑ 1971 Assistant Professor, Tropical Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons,
Columbia University, New York, New York
Title: A histone methyl transferase represses virulence genes in Plasmodium falciparum
Dr. Miller received his M.S. from Columbia University; and his M.D. from Washington University in St. Louis. In 2011, he received the Walter Reed Medal for distinguished accomplishment in the field of tropical medicine from the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 2011, Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award honored Tu Yo Yo who discovered artemisinin and its utility for treating malaria. Louis H. Miller’s recommendations played an important role in Awards Committee’s decision.
Now, Dr. Miller’group devotes themselves to three major areas of research:
1: Mechanism by which malaria parasites invade erythrocytes (including the study of parasite ligands and erythrocyte receptors). The study of the pathogenesis of malaria includes research on the mechanism by which malaria parasites invade erythrocytes, including the study of parasite ligands and erythrocyte receptors; the mechanism of antigenic variation; the molecular basis for cerebral malaria and rosetting; and the binding of var gene products to endothelium.
2: Mechanism of antigenic variation. Major accomplishments include the following: Duffy blood group antigen is receptor for Plasmodium vivax; Duffy blood group antigen is the chemokine receptor; the molecular definition of the ligand and receptor for P. vivax; the molecular definition of the ligand and receptor for Plasmodium falciparum; the molecular basis of antigenic variation and the identification of the ligand for binding chondroitin sulfate A in placenta.
3: Study of binding of parasitized erythrocytes in placenta. Future directions include the study of the different pathways for invasion of erythrocytes, including the sialic acid-independent pathway; virulence factors in P. falciparum; identifying recombinant proteins for vaccines that will block invasion and block cytoadherence to placenta; and molecular mechanism of antigenic variation.
Venue: Room143, New Biology Building, THU
Time: June 18 (Tuesday), 2013; 10:30-12:00
Host: Prof. Jingren Zhang
