Kenneth L. Rosenthal

, PhD

Professor
Pathology and Molecular Medicine

Division Director: Molecular Medicine

Head, Viral Vaccines Division

McMaster University
Institute for Molecular Medicine and Health
4019 Michael DeGroote Centre for Learning & Discovery
905-525-9140 ext. 22375
Lab: MDCL 4074 ext. 22494
rosenthl@mcmaster.ca

Administrative Assistant: Michelle Allan

Currently accepting Graduate Students
Currently accepting Post Doctoral Fellows

Education and Professional Standing

• PhD, McMaster University, 1978
• MSc, University of Illinios, 1974
• BSc, University of Illinois, 1972

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Interests

Research Focus

The Rosenthal laboratory is focused on:

• Understanding the role of innate and adaptive mucosal immune responses in chronic viral infections, including HIV-1 and HSV-2
• Understanding the role of innate mucosal immunity in resistance to sexually-transmitted viral infections and mother-to-child HIV transmission
• Understand the mechanisms used by mucosally-transmitted viruses to evade, subvert and suppress host innate and adaptive immune responses to establish persistent infections
• Development of mucosal vaccines, adjuvants and microbicides against mucosal viral infections

Despite the fact that the vast majority of viruses initiate infection at mucosal surfaces of the respiratory, digestive and genital tracts, we have a poor understanding of mucosal innate and adaptive immune responses against these viruses.  This is particularly true for HIV, which is a sexually-transmitted infection (STI) that rapidly targets the mucosal immune system for infection and destruction.  Furthermore, we lack the knowledge required to develop effective, long-lasting mucosal vaccines or microbicides to protect against mucosally- transmitted pathogens.

Our studies are being carried out in mouse models of virus infection or using specimens from cohorts of uninfected and infected humans in Canada or internationally. We have established model systems and techniques, including immunological, virological and molecular, to make significant observations concerning the triggering, maintenance, function and role of mucosal innate and adaptive immune responses following infection, treatment or immunization.  We also collaborate with investigators around the world to achieve our research goals.

Our work aims to contribute to our understanding of transmission, infection, control and prevention of relevant human pathogens, such as HIV and HSV-2.

Academic Interests

Dr. Rosenthal is involved in teaching within the Undergraduate Health Science, Arts and Science, Biology, Biochemistry, and Life Science Programs.  Furthermore, at the graduate level he teaches advanced immunology, virology, and pathology, with a special focus on viral disease and HIV/AIDS within the Medical Sciences Program.

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Team Members

Lab Technicians

Jennifer Newton and Amy Patrick

Research Scientist

Dr. Xiao-Dan Yao

Post-Doctoral Fellows

Kakon Nag

Graduate Students

Anna Drannik (PhD), Bethany Henrick (PhD), Sumiti Jain (PhD), Robin Persaud (PhD), Vera Tang (PhD), Nicole Beaulieu (MSc)

Selected Publications

• Lester RT, Yao XD, Ball TB, McKinnon LR, Omange WR, Kaul R, Wachihi C, Jaoko W, Rosenthal KL, and Plummer FA. HIV-1 RNA dysregulates the natural TLR response to subclinical endotoxemia in Kenyan female sex-workers. PLoS One 4:e5644, 2009.
• Nazli A, Yao XD, Smieja M, Rosenthal KL, Ashkar AA, and Kaushic C. Differential induction of innate anti-viral responses by TLR ligands against herpes simplex virus, type 2, infection in primary gential epithelium of women. Antiviral Res.  81(2):103-12, 2009.
• Zhu Q, Thomson CW, Rosenthal KL, McDermott MR, Collins SM and Gauldie J.  Immunization with adenovirus at the large intestinal mucosa as an effective vaccination strategy against sexually transmitted viral infection. Mucosal Immunol 1(1):78-88, 2008.
• Lester RT, Yao X-D, Ball TB, McKinnon LR, Kaul R, Wachihi C, Jaoko W, Plummer FA and Rosenthal KL. Toll-like receptor expression and responsiveness are increased in viraemic HIV-1 infection. AIDS 22:685-694, 2008.
• Yao X-D, Fernandez S, Kelly MM, Kaushic C and Rosenthal KL. Expression of Toll-like receptors in murine vaginal epithelium is affected by the estrous cycle and stromal cells.J Reprod Immunol 75:106-119, 2007.
• MacDonald, EM, Savoy, A, Gillgrass A, Fernandez S, Smieja M, Rosenthal KL, Ashkar AA and Kaushic C.  Susceptibility of human primary genital epithelial cells to herpes simplex virus Type 2 and the effect of TLR-3 ligand and sex hormones on infection. Biol Reprod 77:1049-59, 2007.
• Rosenthal KL. Tweaking innate immunity: The promise of innate immunologicals as anti-infectives. Can  J Infect Dis Med Microbio. 17(5):307-314, 2006.
• Gillgrass AE, Tang VA, Towarnicki KM, Rosenthal KL and Kaushic C. Protection against genital herpes infection in mice immunized under different hormonal conditions correlates with induction of vagina-associated lymphoid tissue. J Virol 79(5): 3117-3126, 2005.
• Gill N, Rosenthal KL and Ashkar AA. NK and NKT cell-independent contribution of Interleuken-15 to innate protection against mucosal viral infection. J Virol 79(7): 4470-4478, 2005.
• Jiang JQ, Patrick A, Moss RB and Rosenthal KL. CD8+ T-cell-mediated cross-clade protection in the genital tract following intranasal immunization with inactivated human immunodeficiency virus antigen plus CpG oligodeoxynucleotides. J Virol 79(1):393-400, 2005.