VirRx, Inc.
1609 Adgers Wharf Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63017
U.S.A.
314-977-8857
e-mail: info@virrx.com
VirRx scientists are experts on human adenoviruses, including construction of human adenovirus vectors for cancer gene therapy (patent issued).
Dr. Wold is the founder of VirRx. He is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. He completed his Ph.D. in 1973 at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. He has been studying the molecular biology of adenovirus infection for >30 years. Most of his studies have focused on the group of genes in the "E3 region" of the adenovirus genome, and the role that these genes play in modulating the life or death of adenovirus-infected cells. As part of these studies, he and his colleagues discovered the functions of several adenovirus proteins that protect infected cells from attack by host immune killer cells. Dr. Wold and his collaborators designed, constructed, and conducted pre-clinical tests of the VirRx adenovirus-based cancer gene therapy vectors. Biosketch
Dr. Doronin received his M.Sc. degree in virology from Moscow State University. In 1995, he earned his Ph.D. in molecular virology from the Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology in Moscow, Russia, then began postdoctoral research with Dr. Wold in the US studying cancer gene therapy vectors. He has since established his own laboratory at the Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology in Moscow. Dr. Doronin had a crucial role in the design, construction, and testing of the VirRx vectors, and he is helping to develop the next generation of VirRx vectors.
Dr. Kuppuswamy was awarded his Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1979 from Madras University in India. He joined the Saint Louis University School of Medicine in 1981, initially as a Postdoctoral Fellow and later as a faculty member. He has studied the molecular biology of adenoviruses for two decades. Dr. Kuppuswamy played a major role in the construction and development of the VirRx vectors.
Dr. Lichtenstein received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1990. He has worked with Dr. Wold since joining the Saint Louis University School of Medicine in 1997, first as a post-doctoral fellow, then as an Assistant Research Professor. Dr. Lichtenstein is currently developing validation assays for pre-clinical and clinical trials.
Ms. Mikes received her B.S. in biology from the University of Missouri, then conducted academic laboratory research. She recently completed her M.B.A. at Fontbonne University. Ms. Mikes served as an academic administrator at Saint Louis University before joining the biotechnology industry as an administrator and Operations Manager. Ms. Mikes is Director of Operations at VirRx, and has played a major role in the establishment and operation of VirRx.
Dr. Tollefson completed her Ph.D. at the University of Missouri in 1987. Since that time she has worked with Dr. Wold to understand the role certain genes play in modulating the life or death of adenovirus-infected cells. In 1996 they discovered the adenovirus protein named ADP. This protein causes cells to lyse at the culmination of infection. Dr. Tollefson played a key role in the characterization of the VirRx vectors.
Dr. Toth earned his D.V.M. in 1987 from the University of Veterinary Sciences in Budapest, Hungary. He completed a fellowship at the Agricultural Biotechnological Research Center, and then conducted research in the Hungarian biotechnology industry. In 1996, he began to collaborate with Dr. Wold on cancer gene therapy vectors. Dr. Toth played an instrumental role in the design, construction, and characterization of the VirRx vectors.
Dr. Ying earned his M.D. degree in 1988 from Tongji Medical University, China, and his M.S. degree in molecular virology from the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, China. He moved to the US in 1994, and began to collaborate with Dr. Wold in 1996, studying the protein named ADP. His research career has focused on the molecular biology of adenoviruses. Dr. Ying is currently helping to characterize the VirRx vectors.