Klaus Frueh

Professor
Klaus Frueh has a longstanding interest in viral immunology, immune evasion and vaccine development. He graduated from the University of Heidelberg working on malaria vaccine development followed by post-doctoral training in molecular mechanisms of antigen presentation at the Scripps Research Institute. He continued his research as group leader for virology at Johnson & Johnson, where he studied molecular mechanisms of host pathogen interaction. Since joining the VGTI he collaborated with Drs. Picker, Hansen and Malouli using non-human primate models to elucidate the role of viral immunomodulators in viral pathogenesis and vaccine development. This collaborative work resulted in the finding that rhesus cytomegalovirus (CMV)-based vaccines can be programmed to elicit CD8 T cells that are restricted by MHC-I, MHC-II or MHC-E. This research forms the scientific foundation for the clinical testing of human CMV-based vaccines.

Klaus is co-founder and scientific advisor to Vir Biotechnology, a San Francisco-based biotechnology company that develops novel vaccines and treatments for infectious diseases. His hobbies are playing music, skiing in the Cascade and Rocky Mountains, and sailing in the Puget sound. He plays guitar in the “Herpetic Legions”, a band of herpesvirologists that performs at the annual herpesvirus workshop. Come see us in Portland in 2024!

Daniel Malouli, PhD

Research Assistant Professor
For my undergraduate education in biochemistry, I enrolled in a joint program offered by the Leibniz University of Hannover, the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo) and Hannover Medical School (MHH) in Hannover Germany. As part of this program, I had the opportunity to rotate in different laboratories and work on different aspects of virology and molecular biology, including coronaviruses in the group of Prof. Dr. Georg Herrler at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo), DNA replication and repair in the group of Prof. Dr. Heinz-Peter Nasheuer the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) and herpesviruses in the group of Prof. Dr. Klaus Früh at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute (VGTI). For my master's thesis, I joined the group of Prof. Dr. Martin Messerle at Hannover Medical School (MHH) working on a CD8⁺ T-cell immune evasion mechanism of the murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). Subsequently, I returned to Oregon and started working on the characterization of RhCMV and the development of attenuation strategies for CMV vaccine vector development under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Klaus Früh and Prof. Dr. Martin Messerle as part of my graduate studies. After receiving my PhD from the Leibniz University of Hannover, I joined the laboratory of Prof. Dr. Louis Picker at the VGTI as a staff scientist to study how RhCMV modulates the host CD8⁺ T-cell response and to optimize the design of CMV based vaccine vectors for pre-clinical and clinical studies. In 2018, I joined the VGTI faculty as a research assistant professor and I started my own research group focusing on CMV immune evasion strategies, determinates of CMV species-specificity and homologous recombination techniques used to alter the virus genome.

I normally spend all my free time with my family exploring the Pacific Northwest, the US and the world eating all the great food we can get our hands on.

Nessy John, Ph.D.

Staff Scientist
I am interested in understanding the molecular basis of immune responses elicited by a unique CMV-based vaccine. Specifically, my research focuses on examining cellular processes involved in antigenic peptide presentation that are instructing unconventional immune responses and protection against SIV infection in CMV-vaccinated NHP models. My toolbox comprises of engineering stable cell lines, developing tailor-made cell-based assays, creating immunofluorescence and flow-cytometry assays, and generating high-solution microscopy data to visualize sub cellular phenotypes associated with antigenic peptide presentation. Before working in the Frueh lab, I did postdoctoral research at Scripps Research Institute and University of Zurich, and obtained my PhD degree from ETH Zurich. Before moving to the west, I spent my childhood and education in India.

I love being outside in nature and enjoy walking and exploring new trails. My dream is to drive cross-country to explore national parks and wishfully visit as many as I can. I am fortunate enough to have a husband and 2 children who love road-trips as much as I do.

Husam Taher

Staff Scientist
Since I entered the research field of virology in Germany more than a decade ago, I was involved in herpesviruses research studies. During my PhD, I was interested in understanding the axonal transport of alphaherpesviruses in trigeminal ganglia and in engineering multivalent viral vaccines based on VZV Oka strain.

In 2018, I joined Früh lab as a postdoc to help translate the CMV-based vaccine vectors that Drs. Picker, Früh, Hansen, and Malouli had established in non-human primate models of AIDS and other infectious viral and bacterial diseases as well as cancer into protective and highly effective vaccines in humans. In Addition, I have a great interest in unraveling viral determinants in the congenital CMV (cCMV) to help develop therapeutic and prophylactic interventions against the vertical CMV transmission from mother to fetus.

I love watching all kinds of sports especially soccer and basketball which I follow the most. I love to visit and explore the largest metropolitan cities in the U.S. and in the world. When I get the chance I like to play soccer, tennis, or chess.

Teresa Beechwood

Research Associate
I started working at OHSU in 2013 in the Lab of Lisa Cousses in the Department of Cell Developmental and Cancer Biology. I helped maintain the transgenic mouse colony and support the work of the post docs in the lab. Eventually I transitioned into a project using multiplex IHC and image flow cytometry to study the tumor microenvironment.

In 2018 I moved to the Frueh Lab where I have worked on a number of projects. Currently I’m working on using yeast to capture and construct different strains of CMV, bacterial cloning techniques to edit the CMV genome, NGS, and tissue culture.

I enjoy spending time with my kids, husband, and dog. Some of my varied hobbies include hiking, knitting, cooking, watercolor painting, and wrestling.

Linh Nguyen

Research Assistant 2
In 2022, I started in this position at Oregon Health and Science University after finishing my studies in Environmental Science at Oregon State University. I got to learn a multitude of new skills while working in Früh Lab. where we use recombinant techniques in yeast to build cytomegalovirus genomes.

After work, I like to go mushroom hunting, thrifting, and reading. Watching shows and eating out are also some of my favorite past time. I also have a tendency to pick up a new hobby and then give up after 2 weeks!