Robin M. BushAssociate Professor, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Associate Dean for Research |
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Research Interests |
Molecular Evolution of Pathogens | |
| URL | Robin Bush's home page | |
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Research Abstract |
I study the evolution of infectious disease using the techniques of molecular phylogenetics, population genetics and protein homology modeling. In particular, I develop and apply computational techniques to study how antigenic proteins on the surfaces of pathogens evolve in response to host immune defenses. Most of my efforts constitute basic research: I develop and test hypotheses about evolutionary processes. However, I also collaborate with scientists at public health agencies in applying my results to current efforts in disease surveillance, predictindexion and vaccine development. My research primarily focuses on the influenza virus, which with subsequent pneumonia is the sixth leading cause of death in the US. I also work on the bacteria Chlamydia, which is the major cause of preventable human blindness and also the leading cause of venereal disease worldwide. |
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| Publications | Amaro, R.E., R.V. Swift, L. Votapka, W.W. Li, R.C. Walker, and R.M. Bush. 2011. Mechanism of 150-cavity formation in influenza neuraminidase. Nature Communications 2:388. | |
| Bush. R.M. 2010. Influenza Forensics. pp 109-135 in: Microbial Forensics. 2nd Edition. Budowle, B. et al., (eds). Elsevier. | ||
| Frank, S. A. and Bush, R.M. 2007. Barriers to antigenic escape by pathogens: trade-off between reproductive rate and antigenic mutability. BMC Evolutionary Biology 7:229. | ||
| Bush. R.M. 2004. Influenza as a model system for studying the cross-species transfer and evolution of the SARS coronavirus. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 359:1067-1073. | ||
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Ferguson, N.M., A.P. Galvani and R.M. Bush. 2003. Ecological and immunological determinants of influenza evolution. Nature 422:428-433. |
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| Rodríguez-Marañón, M.J., Bush, R.M. Peterson, E.M. Schirmer, T. and L. de la Maza. 2002. Prediction of the membrane-spanning -strands of the major outer membrane protein of Chlamydia. Protein Science 11:1854-1861. | ||
| Bush, R.M. and K.D.E. Everett. 2001 Molecular evolution of the Chlamyidaceae. International Journal of Systematic Evolution and Microbiology 51:203-220. | ||
| Bush, R.M., C.B. Smith, N.J. Cox and W.M. Fitch. 2000. Effects of passage history and sampling bias on phylogenetic reconstruction of human influenza A evolution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U.S.A. 97: 6974-6980. | ||
| Bush, R. M., C.A. Bender, K. Subbaro, N.J. Cox and W.M. Fitch. 1999. Predicting the Evolution of Influenza A. Science 2861921-1925. | ||
| Research Center | Center for Virus Research | |
| Link to this profile | http://www.faculty.uci.edu/profile.cfm?faculty_id=2718 | |
| Last updated | 03/17/2013 | |