Dr. David Rekosh is a professor of microbiology and the Myles H. Thaler Professor of Medical Science. He is the director of the Myles H. Thaler Center for AIDS and Human Retrovirus Research. He has mentored former Pfizer award winners and Center for Global Health scholars.

Training Background
Dr. Rekosh earned his Ph.D. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Research Interest
Dr. Rekosh's laboratory work focuses on fundamental aspects of HIV virion formation and RNA packaging. Our research addresses issues concerning viral RNA trafficking, RNA dimer formation and the influence that RNA localization signals have on viral replication. We also are interested in the role of Nef in HIV infection. Nef is a virally encoded accessory protein and a major pathogenic determinant. It is known that Nef increases the intrinsic infectivity of virus particles and that it interacts physically with cellular protein kinases. However, the details of what Nef does and how it exerts its effects are not yet fully understood.

Publications
Dr. Rekosh's recent publications include "Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 particles pseudo typed with envelope proteins that fuse at low pH no longer require Nef for optimal infectivity." J Virol. 75(8):4014-8, "Design and Use of an Inducibly-Activated HIV-1 Nef to Study Immune Modulation, J Virol. 75:834-843, and RNA Trafficking Signals in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1. Mol Cell Biol. 21:2133-2143. See PubMed Listings for Dr. Rekosh.