Developing VHH-based tools to study Ebolavirus infection
Name
1120054037-MIT.pdf
Size
8.58 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
0183a112be90f3332aa0adb73a7a2a85
Author(s)
Nguyen, Jason V. M. H.(Jason Vu Minh Hien)
Advisor(s)
Hidde L. Ploegh.
Alternative Title
Developing Visible Human Viewer-based tools to study Ebolavirus infection
Date Issued
2019
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Variable domains of camelid-derived heavy chain-only antibodies, or VHHs, have emerged as a unique antigen binding moiety that holds promise in its versatility and utilization as a tool to study biological questions. This thesis focuses on two aspects on developing tools to study infectious disease, specifically Ebolavirus entry. In Chapter 1, I provide an overview about antibodies and how antibodies have transformed the biomedical field and how single domain antibody fragments, or VHHs, have entered this arena. I will also touch upon how VHHs have been used in various fields and certain aspects that remain underexplored. Chapter 2 focuses on the utilization of VHHs to study Ebolavirus entry using VHHs that were isolated from alpacas. Two VHHs were found to neutralize Ebolavirus in both Biosafety Level 2 and 4 laboratory conditions. Ongoing experiments to address mechanism focuses on two aspects of neutralization: Cathepsin inhibition or NPC1-mediated inhibition. Finally, Chapter 3 discusses the overall landscape for Ebolavirus therapeutics and will discuss future directions of this work.
Description
Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Biology, 2019
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references.
Subjects
Biology.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biology
Terms of Use
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