Gene S. Tan, PhD

Assistant Professor
(858) 200-1803

Gene Tan is an assistant professor at the J. Craig Venter Institute working in the Infectious Disease group. The focus of his research is on virus-host interactions by defining the immunological, molecular and genetic determinants that govern immunity and disease. The aim is to better understand how viruses manipulate the host machinery to replicate and in turn elucidate the mechanisms by which the host counteracts the pathogen. Analyses of virus-host interaction can then facilitate the development of better diagnostic tools, novel therapeutics and vaccines.

Prior to his appointment at JCVI, Dr. Tan was a postdoctoral fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai working on characterizing the immunological and structural determinants of protection against influenza virus and Zika virus. He received his doctorate from Thomas Jefferson University and his undergraduate degree from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science.

Patents

Vaccines for use in the prophylaxis and treatment of influenza virus disease (Pat. No. US20170114103)

Research Priorities

Characterization of the structural and immunological determinants of protection against viral pathogens:
  • Elucidate the mechanisms by which antibodies neutralize virus and protect in vivo.
  • Emphasis on developing novel methods in isolating monoclonal antibodies from human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) compartment.
Characterization of virus-host interaction by defining the molecular and transcriptional response
  • Emphasis on respiratory and neurotropic pathogens.

Publications

Chakraborty S, Mallajosyula V, Tato CM, Tan GS, Wang TT
SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in advanced clinical trials: Where do we stand?
Advanced drug delivery reviews. 2021-05-01; 172.314-338.
PMID: 33482248
Carter DL, Link P, Tan G, Stallknecht DE, Poulson RL
Influenza A Viruses in Whistling Ducks (Subfamily Dendrocygninae).
Viruses. 2021-01-28; 13.2:
PMID: 33525360
Chakraborty S, Gonzalez J, Edwards K, Mallajosyula V, Buzzanco AS, Sherwood R, Buffone C, Kathale N, Providenza S, Xie MM, Andrews JR, Blish CA, Singh U, Dugan H, Wilson PC, Pham TD, Boyd SD, Nadeau KC, Pinsky BA, Zhang S, Memoli MJ, Taubenberger JK, Morales T, Schapiro JM, Tan GS, Jagannathan P, Wang TT
Proinflammatory IgG Fc structures in patients with severe COVID-19.
Nature immunology. 2021-01-01; 22.1: 67-73.
PMID: 33169014
Phipps KL, Ganti K, Jacobs NT, Lee CY, Carnaccini S, White MC, Manandhar M, Pickett BE, Tan GS, Ferreri LM, Perez DR, Lowen AC
Collective interactions augment influenza A virus replication in a host-dependent manner.
Nature microbiology. 2020-09-01; 5.9: 1158-1169.
PMID: 32632248
Kaul D, Rathnasinghe R, Ferres M, Tan GS, Barrera A, Pickett BE, Methe BA, Das SR, Budnik I, Halpin RA, Wentworth D, Schmolke M, Mena I, Albrecht RA, Singh I, Nelson KE, García-Sastre A, Dupont CL, Medina RA
Author Correction: Microbiome disturbance and resilience dynamics of the upper respiratory tract during influenza A virus infection.
Nature communications. 2020-06-16; 11.1: 3132.
PMID: 32546784
Kaul D, Rathnasinghe R, Ferres M, Tan GS, Barrera A, Pickett BE, Methe BA, Das SR, Das S, Budnik I, Halpin RA, Wentworth D, Schmolke M, Mena I, Albrecht RA, Singh I, Nelson KE, García-Sastre A, Dupont CL, Medina RA
Microbiome disturbance and resilience dynamics of the upper respiratory tract during influenza A virus infection.
Nature communications. 2020-05-21; 11.1: 2537.
PMID: 32439901
Duehr J, McMahon M, Williamson B, Amanat F, Durbin A, Hawman DW, Noack D, Uhl S, Tan GS, Feldmann H, Krammer F
Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies against the Gn and the Gc of the Andes Virus Glycoprotein Spike Complex Protect from Virus Challenge in a Preclinical Hamster Model.
mBio. 2020-03-24; 11.2:
PMID: 32209676
Ramos I, Smith G, Ruf-Zamojski F, Martínez-Romero C, Fribourg M, Carbajal EA, Hartmann BM, Nair VD, Marjanovic N, Monteagudo PL, DeJesus VA, Mutetwa T, Zamojski M, Tan GS, Jayaprakash C, Zaslavsky E, Albrecht RA, Sealfon SC, García-Sastre A, Fernandez-Sesma A
Innate Immune Response to Influenza Virus at Single-Cell Resolution in Human Epithelial Cells Revealed Paracrine Induction of Interferon Lambda 1.
Journal of virology. 2019-10-15; 93.20:
PMID: 31375585
Abreu-Mota T, Hagen KR, Cooper K, Jahrling PB, Tan G, Wirblich C, Johnson RF, Schnell MJ
Non-neutralizing antibodies elicited by recombinant Lassa-Rabies vaccine are critical for protection against Lassa fever.
Nature communications. 2018-10-11; 9.1: 4223.
PMID: 30310067
He W, Chen CJ, Mullarkey CE, Hamilton JR, Wong CK, Leon PE, Uccellini MB, Chromikova V, Henry C, Hoffman KW, Lim JK, Wilson PC, Miller MS, Krammer F, Palese P, Tan GS
Alveolar macrophages are critical for broadly-reactive antibody-mediated protection against influenza A virus in mice.
Nature communications. 2017-10-10; 8.1: 846.
PMID: 29018261
He W, Tan GS, Mullarkey CE, Lee AJ, Lam MM, Krammer F, Henry C, Wilson PC, Ashkar AA, Palese P, Miller MS
Epitope specificity plays a critical role in regulating antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity against influenza A virus.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2016-10-18; 113.42: 11931-11936.
PMID: 27698132
Leon PE, He W, Mullarkey CE, Bailey MJ, Miller MS, Krammer F, Palese P, Tan GS
Optimal activation of Fc-mediated effector functions by influenza virus hemagglutinin antibodies requires two points of contact.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2016-10-04; 113.40: E5944-E5951.
PMID: 27647907
Henry Dunand CJ, Leon PE, Huang M, Choi A, Chromikova V, Ho IY, Tan GS, Cruz J, Hirsh A, Zheng NY, Mullarkey CE, Ennis FA, Terajima M, Treanor JJ, Topham DJ, Subbarao K, Palese P, Krammer F, Wilson PC
Both Neutralizing and Non-Neutralizing Human H7N9 Influenza Vaccine-Induced Monoclonal Antibodies Confer Protection.
Cell host & microbe. 2016-06-08; 19.6: 800-13.
PMID: 27281570
Tan GS, Leon PE, Albrecht RA, Margine I, Hirsh A, Bahl J, Krammer F
Broadly-Reactive Neutralizing and Non-neutralizing Antibodies Directed against the H7 Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin Reveal Divergent Mechanisms of Protection.
PLoS pathogens. 2016-04-01; 12.4: e1005578.
PMID: 27081859
Chen CJ, Ermler ME, Tan GS, Krammer F, Palese P, Hai R
Influenza A Viruses Expressing Intra- or Intergroup Chimeric Hemagglutinins.
Journal of virology. 2016-01-13; 90.7: 3789-93.
PMID: 26764009
Leyva-Grado VH, Tan GS, Leon PE, Yondola M, Palese P
Direct administration in the respiratory tract improves efficacy of broadly neutralizing anti-influenza virus monoclonal antibodies.
Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy. 2015-07-01; 59.7: 4162-72.
PMID: 25941218
Henry Dunand CJ, Leon PE, Kaur K, Tan GS, Zheng NY, Andrews S, Huang M, Qu X, Huang Y, Salgado-Ferrer M, Ho IY, Taylor W, Hai R, Wrammert J, Ahmed R, García-Sastre A, Palese P, Krammer F, Wilson PC
Preexisting human antibodies neutralize recently emerged H7N9 influenza strains.
The Journal of clinical investigation. 2015-03-02; 125.3: 1255-68.
PMID: 25689254
Tan GS, Lee PS, Hoffman RM, Mazel-Sanchez B, Krammer F, Leon PE, Ward AB, Wilson IA, Palese P
Characterization of a broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibody that targets the fusion domain of group 2 influenza A virus hemagglutinin.
Journal of virology. 2014-12-01; 88.23: 13580-92.
PMID: 25210195
DiLillo DJ, Tan GS, Palese P, Ravetch JV
Broadly neutralizing hemagglutinin stalk-specific antibodies require FcγR interactions for protection against influenza virus in vivo.
Nature medicine. 2014-02-01; 20.2: 143-51.
PMID: 24412922
Tan GS, Krammer F, Eggink D, Kongchanagul A, Moran TM, Palese P
A pan-H1 anti-hemagglutinin monoclonal antibody with potent broad-spectrum efficacy in vivo.
Journal of virology. 2012-06-01; 86.11: 6179-88.
PMID: 22491456
Tan GS, Preuss MA, Williams JC, Schnell MJ
The dynein light chain 8 binding motif of rabies virus phosphoprotein promotes efficient viral transcription.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2007-04-24; 104.17: 7229-34.
PMID: 17438267

Genomics of Rotavirus

Sequencing Rotavirus genomes isolated from around the world

Genomics of Zika Virus

Investigating the genomics of Zika virus throughout the Americas

Genomics of West Nile Virus

Sequencing West Nile virus genomes isolated in the United States

Genomics of Influenza A and Influenza B Viruses

Sequencing Influenza genomes isolated from various hosts and locations

Genomics of Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Sequencing clinical isolates of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in various locations

Antigenic Map of Lyssavirus (Rabies Virus)

Vaccines and Therapeutics for Zika

Genomics of Chikungunya Virus

Sequencing Chikungunya virus genomes isolated from the Western hemisphere during the 2014 Caribbean outbreak

Coronavirus Research

Overview of various projects related to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Video

A Bioinformatics Roadmap for the Human Vaccines Project

Age-Associated Determinants of Alveolar Macrophage-Mediated Antiviral and Inflammatory Responses

Engineering a Self-Amplifying RNA Amplicon as a Vaccine or Therapeutic for Influenza

Investigating Viral Disease to Develop Next Generation Vaccines and Therapeutics

Video

Seeking Funding

Virus Pathogen Resource (ViPR)

Influenza Research Database (IRD)

Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Host-Virus-Microbiome Interactions

Genetic Diversity and Evolutionary Dynamics of Influenza A and B Viruses

Genetic Diversity and Evolutionary Dynamics of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Viruses (EEEV)

Genetic Diversity and Evolutionary Dynamics of Respiratory Syncytial Viruses (RSV)

Genetic Diversity and Evolutionary Dynamics of Rotaviruses

Impact of Viral Intra-Host Diversity on Transmission Dynamics and Antiviral Resistance

Genetic Diversity and Evolutionary Dynamics of West Nile Viruses

Influenza: Host-Virus-Microbiome Interactions

Genomics of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus

Elucidating transmission of EEEV in the United States

Innovative Research Programs - Viral Genomics
National Immunization Awareness Day
23-Nov-2020
Blog

Unique Antibody Pattern Discovered in COVID-19 ICU Patients May Be Key to Predicting Severe Outcomes

29-Oct-2020
Blog

COVID-19 Further Complicating Flu Season

05-Nov-2018
Blog

Fighting Back Against Flu

17-May-2018
Blog

J. Craig Venter Institute Education Program Fosters Learning Opportunities with Salisbury University Students and Faculty