Ana Fernandez-Sesma, PhD

Specific Clinical/Research Interests Mechanisms of evasion of immunity by dengue and influenza viruses; human immunology in viral infections. Generation of recombinant viruses.
Current Students: 
Junior faculty:  Irene Ramos, PhD. Sebastian Aguirre, PhD.
Postdoctoral Fellows:  Ana Maestre, PhD,  Rafael Fenutria-Aumesquet, PhD, Paula Lopez-Monteagudo, PhD.
Students: Edwin Carbajal, Jessica Pintado-Silva, Tong-Tong Zhu, Gabe Webb.
Research Personnel: Dabeiba Bernal-Rubio, Uma Potla
Past Members: Rebecca Hamlin PhD ,Kevin Maringer, PhD, Anthony Fredericks Ms, Sarah Pagni, PhD, Juan R. Rodriguez, PhD, Timothy Savage, MS, Phoenix Bell, MS.

Summary of Research Studies:

The main focuses of study in the Fernandez-Sesma laboratory are the interactions of   important human pathogens with primary human immune cells.     

• Dengue virus  (DENV)is an important human pathogen for which there is no vaccine or treatment available. Dengue is a flavivirus transmitted to humans by the bite of the mosquito aedes aegipti. We are studying the role of different primary human cells, such as dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages in the initiation or evasion of immunity by DENV. We have analyzed the pattern of gene expression and cytokine secretion in different primary cells after DENV infection and have recently shown that the DENV protease complex (NS2B/3) is crucial for the inhibition of type I IFN production by DENV in primary human DCs, an important step in the generation of the innate and adaptive immune responses by this virus. We are currently studying how primary isolates of DENV are able to initiate or evade immune responses in human primary cells.
• We are also studying adaptation of DENV to human and mosquito cells as part of a DARPA funded  multi-investigator project led by Dr. Raul Andino at UCSF. Our laboratory is interested in innate immune evasion by this virus as a measure of adaptation and fitness.