Professor

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Center for Comparative Medicine
UC Davis
County Road 98 and Hutchison Drive
Davis, CA 95616

Also affiliated with

• Center for Comparative Medicine
• California National Primate Research Center
• Clinical Proteomics Core
• Animal Modeling and Telepathology Core: Pacific Southwest Regional Center for Excellence in Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases

• Infectious disease
• Oncology
• Clinical Proteomics

• Molecular mechanisms of viral pathogenesis in animal models (non-human primates)
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS (pathogenesis, vaccines)
• Diagnostics and biomarkers for infectious diseases (including biodefense pathogens) and cancer

Paul Luciw received his doctorate in Microbiology/Virology in 1977 from the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA). After completing a post-doctoral fellowship on molecular mechanisms of retroviral replication at University of California, San Francisco, in 1982, he joined Chiron Corporation (now Novartis) in Emeryville, CA, where he developed vaccines based on genetic engineering technology and cloned the genome of HIV, the causative agent of AIDS. In 1986, Paul Luciw became a member of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UC Davis, where he initiated a research program on molecular mechanisms of viral pathogenesis in animal models. He was appointed a core-staff scientist at the California National Primate Research Center in 1996, and became a member of the Center for Comparative Medicine in 1997. Currently, he is a Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. He is also affiliated with the UC Davis Cancer Center.

Paul Luciw has extensive experience in many aspects of virology, cell biology, and molecular biology. The main emphasis of his research is on viruses that establish persistent infection; these include retroviruses that cause immunodeficiency and herpesviruses associated with cancer. For studies on simian immunodefiency virus (SIV), a major aim of this research is to identify viral determinants of latency, persistence, and pathogenesis in non-human primate model systems (i.e., rhesus monkeys). Studies on the oncogenic herpesviruses, Kaposi’s-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and rhesus rhadinovirus (RRV), are focused on viral genes that mediate signal transduction. Recently, he has begun translational research by developing novel multiplex immunoassay systems for detection of biomarkers (e.g., immunomodulators, phosphotyrosine proteins) in lymphoid tumors. He has also applied this novel immunoassay for detection of immune responses to multiple infectious agents, including Mybobacterium tuberculosis. His research lab is located at the Center for Comparative Medicine building, which is adjacent to the California Primate Center.

The main focus of Paul Luciw’s research, since his arrival at UC Davis in 1986, has been on viruses that produce chronic infections in animal models. During this two-decade period, he has been the primary mentor of 15 Ph.D. students, 3 M.S. students, 12 post-doctoral fellows, and 5 research-track associates. Studies on simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of rhesus macaques and AIDS have occupied the largest share of his research program; these activities were extended to include analysis of SIV/HIV-1 recombinant viruses (designated SHIV). Paul Luciw has also conducted several collaborations on vaccine research in the SIV/nonhuman primate model. Another related area of his research interest in virology is focused on molecular mechanisms regulating replication of rhesus rhadinovirus (RRV), which is genetically related to the human pathogen Kaposi’s sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV). The research on these retroviruses and herpesviruses has moved from in vitro systems (i.e., molecular biology and biochemical methods) to in vivo systems (i.e., virology, immunology, and pathology in infected animals). 

Over the last 4 years, a new unifying theme has solidified for Paul Luciw’s research activities on animal virus models for infectious diseases:  levels of viral replication in the infected host and disease progression are regulated by viral-induced alterations in cell activation pathways. Accordingly, his lab is elucidating molecular mechanisms controlling virus-host interactions through the analysis of cell signaling proteins and signal transduction pathways. As an innovative approach to conduct these studies, he has established a multiplex microbead immunoassay system for detecting and measuring levels of multiple cell signaling proteins (i.e., protein kinases and their substrates) in cells and tissues. In addition, he is now applying this multiplex technology for evaluation of protein biomarkers associated with cancer and other diseases through collaborations with clinician scientists. 

Paul Luciw participates heavily in two major research centers at UC Davis.  (1) The mission of Center for Comparative Medicine (CCM) is to pull together Medical and Veterinary School faculty who use animal models to study infectious disease mechanisms. He was directly involved in the creation of this Center in 1996. At present, CCM houses his research programs in infectious diseases. This includes development of novel methodologies for detection of infectious agents in the Mouse Biology Program and the Animal Modeling and Telepathology Core. (2) As a Core-Staff Scientist at the California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC), Paul Luciw serves as collaborator or consultant for extramural scientists who utilize nonhuman primates for infectious disease research. This includes several academic investigators at UC Davis and at other research institutions. His lab has developed a novel multiplex immunoassay for simian viruses; this diagnostic system is now routinely used for serosurveillance of the nonhuman primates at CNPRC.

Several programs in infectious diseases involve Paul Luciw’s participation. (1) “Program Project Grant (PPG) in HIV Latency” in the nonhuman primate model for AIDS: This PPG, funded by NIH, involves three projects at the Gladstone Institute and UC San Francisco, and utilizes our “Nonhuman Primate Core” at UC Davis. He is co-leader of this Core, and his role is to direct all experimentation in SHIV infected rhesus macaques (preparation of Animal Use and Care Protocols, experimental design, scheduling of live-phase interventions, data analysis). This research has made substantial progress in identifying reservoirs of virus; therefore, these findings could impact design and development of improved anti-HIV therapies. (2) Program for the development of novel diagnostic technology for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb.) in nonhuman primates: He is Principal Investigator of an R24 grant from NIH that supports the evaluation of novel multiplex immunoassay technology for detecting infection with M. tb. (3) “Animal Modeling and Telepathology Core” of the Pacific-Southwest Regional Center for Excellence in Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases: This RCE involves 20 RO1 research projects in a 4-state area (CA, NV, HI, AZ – designated “National Biodefense Region 9”), with administrative leadership at UC Irvine. Paul Luciw is Director of this Core, which provides expertise for research on a variety of biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) pathogens in rodent and nonhuman primate models. (4) “Clinical Proteomics Core” at the UC Davis Medical Center: Paul Luciw is Director of this Core, which is under the administrative auspices of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. The mission is to provide intellectual and technical expertise, and instrumentation, for multiplex analysis of proteins in disease. Both Luminex and BioPlex systems are available. This Core interacts closely with basic and clinical investigators to promote and facilitate translational research.

• Center for Comparative Medicine (UC Davis):  1993 to present
• Core Staff Scientist - California National Primate Research Center (UC Davis):  1999 to present
• Pacific Southwest Regional Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases (UC Irvine), Director of the Animal Modeling and Telepathology Core (UC Davis):  2005 to present
• Biotechnology Advisory Board (UC Davis):  1999 to present
• Center for Fetal Monkey Gene Transfer (UC Davis) – Advisory Board:  2002 to present
• Targeted Action Group for AIDS Vaccines (UC San Francisco):  1997 to present
• Aerobiology Core Steering Committee (Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM; Western RCE in Biodefense, Texas A&M University):  2005 to present
• Reviewer (editorial board) for AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses: 1987 to present
• Reviewer (editorial board) for Journal of Virology:  2002 – 2005
• Director of the UC Davis Cancer Biology in Animals Program (UC Davis):  1998 – 2002
• Microbiology Graduate Group (UC Davis): 1986 to present
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Graduate Group (UC Davis):  1990 to present
• Comparative Pathology Graduate Group (UC Davis):  1992 to present

Shacklett, B.L., K.E.S. Shaw, L.A. Adamson, D.T. Wilkens, C.A. Cox, M.B. Gardner, P. Sonigo, and P.A. Luciw (2002) Live, attenuated SIVmacM4, with point mutations in the Env-TM intracytoplasmic domain provides partial protection from mucosal challenge with pathogenic SIVmac251.  J. Virol. 76: 11365-11368.

Himathongkham, S., G.C. Douglas, A. Fang, E. Yu, S.W. Barnett, and P.A. Luciw (2002) Species tropism of chimeric SHIV clones containing HIV-1 subtype-A and subtype-E envelope genes.  Virology 298:189-199.

Gardner, M.B, M.P. Carlos, and P.A. Luciw (2004) Simian Retroviruses. In AIDS and Other Manifestations of HIV Infection, pp. 195 – 262.  4th edition.  Ed: G.P. Wormser (Raven Press, New York).

Reyes, R.A., D.R. Canfield, U. Esser, L.A. Adamson, C. Cheng-Mayer, M.B. Gardner, J.M. Harouse, P.A. Luciw.  (2004)  Induction of simian AIDS in neonatal rhesus macaques infected with CCR5 or CXCR4 utilizing SHIVs is associated with distinct lesions of the thymus. J. Virol. 78:2121-30.

Hamza, M.S., R.A. Reyes, Y. Izumiya, R. Wisdom, H-J. Kung, and P.A. Luciw.  (2004) ORF36 Protein kinase of Kaposi's Sarcoma Herpesvirus (KSHV) activates the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway.  J. Biol. Chem. 279:38,325-30.

Khan, I.H., L.V. Kendall, M. Ziman, S. Wong, S. Mendoza, J. Fahey, S.M. Griffey, S.W. Barthold, and P.A. Luciw.  (2005) Simultaneous serodetection of ten highly prevalent mouse infectious pathogens in a single reaction by multiplex analysis.  Clin. Diag. Lab. Immunol. 12: 513-519.

Gupta, S., R. Janani, Q. Bin, P. Luciw, C. Greer, S. Perri, H. Legg, R. Janani, J. Donnelly, S. Barnett, D. O’Hagan, J. Polo, and M. Vajdy. (2005)  Characterization of HIV-gag-specific IFN-expressing cells following protective mucosal immunization with alphavirus replicon particles.  J. Virol.  79:7135-7145.

Izumiya, Y., T.J. Ellison, E.T.H. Yeh, J.U. Jung, P.A. Luciw, H.J. Kung.  (2005)  Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus K-bZIP represses gene transcription via SUMO modification.  J. Virol. 79:9912-25.

Khan, I.H., S. Mendoza, J. Yee, M. Deane, K. Venkateswaran, S.S. Zhou, P.A. Barry, N.W. Lerche, and P.A. Luciw (2006) Simultaneous detection of antibodies to six nonhuman primate viruses by multiplex microbead immunoassay (MMIA).  Clin. Vaccine Immunol.  12: 513-519.

Khan, I. H., S. Mendoza, P. Rhyne, M. Ziman,, J. Tuscano, D. Einsinger, H-J. Kung, and P.A. Luciw.  (2006)  Multiplex analysis of intracellular signaling pathways in lymphoid cells by microbead suspension arrays.  Molecular and Cellular Proteomics  5: 758-768.

Izumiya Y, C. Izumiya, A. Van-Geelen, D-H. Wang, K.S. Lam, P.A. Luciw *, and H-J. Kung*  (2006) Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus encoded protein kinase (vPK) and its interaction with K-bZIP.  J. Virol.  (in press) (*co-corresponding authors).