Education:
BS 1976 Biology - University of Illinois Urbania, Illinois
MS 1978 Microbiology - University of Illinois, Urbania, Illinois
MD 1982 Medicine - University of Wisconsin Medical School at Madison, Wisconsin
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship:
1982-1985 University of Wisconsin Hospital, Madison
1985-1987 National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
Started at USC: 1987
Research Topics: Gene Therapy, Stem Cell Biology
Research Description
Gene Therapy
My research focuses on efforts to develop gene therapy methods for diseases of the hematopoietic and immunologic systems. Basic research studies the development of gene delivery vectors, focusing on methods to achieve more effective gene transfer into human hematopoietic stem cells and on more precise control of gene expression, in terms of level, lineage and longevity. Translational research efforts are on developing gene therapy approaches to genetic immune deficiency syndromes, HIV-1 and leukemia. Clinical trials are evaluating the safety and efficacy of these gene transfer methods for children with congenital and acquired immune deficiencies. These research activities which cover the spectrum from basic to applied are coupled to a clinical bone marrow transplantation program, which provides a grounding in the research imperatives.
Selected Publications
Shah AJ, Epport K, Azen C, Killen R, Wilson K, De Clerck D, Crooks G, Kapoor N, Kohn DB, Parkman R, Weinberg KI. - Progressive Declines in Neurocognitive Function Among Survivors of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Pediatric Hematologic Malignancies. - J Pediatr Hematol Oncol [ 2008 ] Jun;30(6):411-418 . PubMed
Bauer G, Dao MA, Case SS, Meyerrose T, Wirthlin L, Zhou P, Wang X, Herrbrich P, Arevalo J, Csik S, Skelton DC, Walker J, Pepper K, Kohn DB, Nolta JA. - In Vivo Biosafety Model to Assess the Risk of Adverse Events From Retroviral and Lentiviral Vectors. - Mol Ther [ 2008 ] May 6; . PubMed
Bonde J, Wirthlin L, Kohn DB, Nolta JA. - Human hematopoietic cell culture, transduction, and analyses. - Curr Protoc Hum Genet [ 2008 ] Jan;Chapter 13:Unit 13.7 . PubMed
Singh H, Manuri PR, Olivares S, Dara N, Dawson MJ, Huls H, Hackett PB, Kohn DB, Shpall EJ, Champlin RE, Cooper LJ. - Redirecting specificity of T-cell populations for CD19 using the Sleeping Beauty system. - Cancer Res [ 2008 ] Apr 15;68(8):2961-71 . PubMed
Kahl CA, Cannon PM, Oldenburg J, Tarantal AF, Kohn DB. - Tissue-specific restriction of cyclophilin A-independent HIV-1- and SIV-derived lentiviral vectors. - Gene Ther [ 2008 ] Apr 3; . PubMed
Carbonaro DA, Jin X, Cotoi D, Mi T, Yu XJ, Skelton DC, Dorey F, Kellems RE, Blackburn MR, Kohn DB. - Neonatal bone marrow transplantation of ADA-deficient SCID mice results in immunologic reconstitution despite low levels of engraftment and an absence of selective donor T lymphoid expansion. - Blood [ 2008 ] Jun 15;111(12):5745-54 . PubMed
Abdel-Azim H, Zhu Y, Hollis R, Wang X, Ge S, Hao QL, Smbatyan G, Kohn DB, Rosol M, Crooks GM. - Expansion of multipotent and lymphoid-committed human progenitors through intracellular dimerization of Mpl. - Blood [ 2008 ] Apr 15;111(8):4064-74 . PubMed
Kohn DB. - Gene therapy for childhood immunological diseases. - Bone Marrow Transplant [ 2008 ] Jan;41(2):199-205 . PubMed
Taylor JA, Vojtech L, Bahner I, Kohn DB, Laer DV, Russell DW, Richard RE. - Foamy virus vectors expressing anti-HIV transgenes efficiently block HIV-1 replication. - Mol Ther [ 2008 ] Jan;16(1):46-51 . PubMed
Rossi JJ, June CH, Kohn DB. - Genetic therapies against HIV. - Nat Biotechnol [ 2007 ] Dec;25(12):1444-54 . PubMed
