L to R: Back row - Dr. Terrence Tumpey, Dr. Mary Ritchie, Dr. Hao Cheng, Dr. Herman Staats. Front Row - Dr. Ying-Hsiu Su, Dr. Robert Lausch, Dr. Shun-Hua Chen.

Six accomplished scientists from around the world will travel to Mobile next week to pay tribute to their former teacher and mentor Dr. Robert N. Lausch, who recently retired as professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine.

The former USA graduate students will all present at an educational symposium they established this year in honor of Dr. Lausch - the Robert N. Lausch Symposium. The event will take place at the Medical Sciences Building Auditorium on Aug. 3, 2009, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Dr. Hao Cheng will open the event by sharing a presentation on Dr. Lausch’s career at USA. Dr. Cheng, who graduated from USA in 1999, is currently a clinical assistant professor of anesthesiology at the Wayne State University School of Medicine.

Dr. Ying-Hsiu Su, an associate professor in the department of microbiology and immunology at the Drexel University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, will lecture on “Development of a Urine Test for Colon Cancer Screening.” Dr. Su will begin her lecture immediately following Dr. Cheng’s presentation.

Dr. Su received her doctorate from USA in 1992. Her research interests focus on herpes simplex virus (HSV) latency. HSV establishes latency in human neurons, meaning that the virus remains dormant within the nuclei of neuronal cells. As a result of stress or other stimuli, viral genomes can reactivate into an active infection.

Dr. Su is also noted for her work involving the use of DNA in urine for the detection of diagnostic markers for cancer. DNA isolated from urine has the potential to be used to predict and diagnose outcomes related to colon cancer detection.

Dr. Herman F. Staats, professor of pathology at the Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C., will present a talk on “Adjuvants and Formulations to Augment the Immunogenicity of Nasally-Administered Vaccine.” Dr. Staats will begin his lecture at 10:30 a.m.

Dr. Staats, who graduated from USA in 1993, has conducted extensive research on the cellular mechanisms involved in the regulation of mucosal immune responses. The mucosal immune system protects an organism’s various mucous membranes from infection. Dr. Staats’s work in the understanding of immune responses is essential for the development of effective vaccines.

Dr. Shun-Hua Chen, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the National Cheng-kung University School of Medicine in Taiwan, will lecture on “Herpes Simplex Virus Hijacks Host Cellular Factors to Increase Viral Replication.” Dr. Chen will begin her lecture at 11 a.m.

Dr. Chen received her doctorate from USA in 1994. She is noted for her research on herpes simplex virus type 1 infection, which is the most common cause of sporadic, fatal encephalitis. Dr. Chen has done studies on a cellular level, looking at how the virus could cause fatal encephalitis – acute inflammation of the brain --- as well as the possibility of blocking cellular response to prevent mortality.

Dr. Terrence Tumpey, senior microbiologist and team leader - influenza pathogenesis, influenza division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, will talk on “Transmission and Pathogenesis of Swine-Origin 2009 A (H1N1) Influenza Viruses in Ferrets and Mice.” Dr. Tumpey will begin his lecture at 11:30 a.m.

Dr. Tumpey, who graduated from USA in 1997, is noted for his work in reconstructing the 1918 pandemic influenza virus in an effort to better understand what characteristics made it so deadly. The 1918 virus, also known as Spanish Flu, killed an estimated 20-50 million people worldwide.

The event will close with a plaque presentation made by Dr. Mary Ritchie, bioterrorism laboratory program advisor at the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Laboratories in Jacksonville, Fla. Dr. Ritchie graduated from USA in 1995.

Dr. Lausch, professor emeritus, served as professor of microbiology and immunology at the USA College of Medicine for 31 years before retiring in 2008.

Dr. Lausch received his Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Florida in 1966. His postdoctoral training was done at Baylor University College of Medicine. Dr. Lausch has been active on various national boards including Visual Sciences, a Study Section which reviews grant applications for National Institutes of Health. He also serves as an ad hoc reviewer for leading journals in virology and ophthalmology.