Azlinda, Anwar

Research Interests:

My past research focus has been on the development of cell-based therapeutic DNA vaccines against the Dengue (DENV) and West Nile (WNV), flaviviruses which pose serious global public health threats, causing severe encephalitic, hemorrhagic, hepatic and febrile illnesses in humans. The development of vaccines or anti-virals against DENV has not been easy and straightforward because of the four closely related, but antigenically distinct virus serotypes (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4). These viruses are unique amongst human pathogens in that the natural dengue immunity status can modify the disease in two directions: lessen or increase severity.

The pathophysiological basis of this severe dengue disease appears to be multifactorial. Substantial evidence supports the phenomenon of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection of host cells as one of the critical component of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)/dengue shock syndrome (DSS) pathogenesis. Recent evidences also indicate a complex interaction between the immunological status and viral burden in the pathogenic cascade to DHF/DSS. Hence cell and tissue tropisms of DENV are considered major determinants in the pathogenesis of dengue. Thus an understanding of the basic fundamentals of the DENV, in terms of its replication and tissue tropism, in physiologically relevant host cells is important and necessary. Towards this end, I am currently engaged in characterizing the role of host factors identified in the laboratory’s genome-wide siRNA screens, which are involved in virus propagation and entry. In addition, I am also involved in collaborations with a pharma to evaluate potential drug candidates as flavivirus anti-virals.

Selected Publications:

Anwar, A., Leong, K.M., Ng, M.L., Chu, J.J.H. and Garcia-Blanco, M.A. (2009) The polypyrimidine tract binding protein is involved in and is neccesary for the RNA replication of Dengue virus. J. Biol. Chem. 284(25):17021-9.

Anwar, A., Wan, G.Q.J, Chua K.B., August, J.T. and Too H.P. (2009) Pre-analytical variables affecting dengue quantitative real-time PCR assays. J.Med.Diag. 11(6): 537-542.

Anwar, A, August, J. T. and Too, H.P. (2006) A Stem Loop-Mediated Reverse Transcription-Real-Time PCR For The Selective Detection And Quantification Of The Replicative Strand Of A RNA Virus. Analytical Biochemistry 352: 120-128.

Gupta, V., Tabiin, M. T., Sun Kai, Chandrasekaran A., Anwar, A., Kun, Y., Chikhlikar, P., Salmon, J., Brusic, V., Marques, E. T. A., Srinivasan, K.N. and August, J.T. (2006) SARS Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Immunodominant T-cell Epitope Cluster Is Common to Both Exogenous Recombinant and Endogenous DNA-Encoded Immunogens. Virology. 347: 127-139