Dr. Barry J. Margulies, PhD
Associate Professor & Director,
Towson University Herpes Virus Lab
Dept. of Biological Sciences,
Towson University
The Towson University Herpes Virus Lab is conducting research in three main areas. Our major focus is on improved long-term therapy for human herpes infections, primarily oral and genital herpes. Our research has already developed long-lived controlled release implants that can suppress reactivations of herpes in a model system, using mice. Current research is focused on improvements to the delivery vehicles, the use of second and third generation antiviral drugs, and new animal models to explore clinical deployment of these devices to combat genital herpes and shingles. We are also exploring the potential link between human herpesvirus-6 infection and multiple sclerosis. We are performing experiments in cultured cells to see whether specific virus proteins are integral to the severity and progression to disease. Finally, we are also exploring the molecular biology of gene expression for a unique class of proteins encoded by human cytomegalovirus. The chemokine receptor homologues encoded by this virus appear to be critical for how the infectious agent evades the immune system. Using methods in modern cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, and biomedical/biochemical engineering, we expect that each of these groups of projects will lead to a better understanding of herpes biology and better clinical intervention in the near future.
Research Interests
Current antiviral therapy for the human herpes viruses, HSV–1, –2, and varicella zoster virus and the feline herpesvirus, FHV-1, consists of multiple doses of FDA-approved anti-herpetic drugs (typically acyclovir [ACV], valacyclovir, penciclovir [PCV], or famciclovir) taken daily for the lifetime of the host. These daily doses require rigorous patient compliance; missed doses allow small windows of drug troughs that permit breakout replication, sometimes resulting in drug-resistant mutants. Our research involves slow, controlled release of ACV or PCV from both biodegradable and non-biodegradable polymer matrices. These devices release continuous, steady levels of drug for an estimated 3 to 5 years after a single implantation. We are continuing to explore the chemistry, biology, pharmacology, and engineering of these implants to further improve their design and eventual clinical deployment in human and veterinary patients.
Research Experience
Towson University · Department of Biological Sciences
Aug 2001–present
Professor & Director,
Towson University Herpes Virus Lab
United States · Towson
Johns Hopkins University · Department of Medicine · Retrovirus Biology Lab
PostDoc Position
Jul 1996– Aug 2001
United States · Baltimore
Education
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Jul 1996–Aug 2001
Comparative Medicine · post-doc
United States · Baltimore
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Biochemistry, Cellular, and Molecular Biology · PhD
Sep 1989–Jun 1996
United States · Baltimore
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Sep 1985–Jun 1989
Applied Biological Sciences · S.B.
United States · Cambridge
Recent Publications
Bonavia, A., Bullock, B.T., Gisselman, K.M., Margulies, B.J., and J.E. Clements. 2005. A Single Amino Acid Change and Truncated TM are Sufficient for SIV to Enter Cells Using CCR5 in a CD4-Independent Pathway. Virology 341:12-23.
Margulies, B.J., and W. Gibson. 2007. The Chemokine Receptor Homologue Encoded by US27 of Human Cytomegalovirus is Heavily Glycosylated and Is Present in Infected Human Foreskin Fibroblasts and Enveloped Virus Particles. Virus Res.123:57-71.
Johnson, T.P,. Frey, R., Modugno, M., Brennan, T.P., and B.J. Margulies. 2007. Development of an Acyclovir Implant for the Long-Term Control of Herpes Simplex Virus Infection. Int J Antimicrob Agents 30:428-435.
Johnson, T.P. and B.J. Margulies. 2007. Long-Term Suppression of Herpesvirus Infection (provisional patent #60805381, 2006; patent pending #11/766,298, 2007)
