Associate Professor, Global Health
Adjunct Associate Professor, Epidemiology
Dr. Jennifer Slyker, MSc, PhD, received her BA (Biology) from Colgate University, her MSc (Integrative Bioscience) from Oxford University, and her Ph.D. (Immunology) from Open University. She began working with the Kenya group in 2000 as a Research Assistant in Nairobi, Kenya. Dr. Slyker’s major research interest is in understanding the unique way in which the infant immune system handles viral infection. Birth is a time of transition from a mostly sterile environment to one brimming with pathogens. In infants, HIV infection occurs at a time when many infants also acquire persistent viral infections (herpes viruses: EBV/CMV/HHV-8). Though usually asymptomatic, these herpes viruses can cause severe disease in individuals that are immunosuppressed by HIV-1. Conversely, these herpes viruses themselves may accelerate HIV disease progression. Understanding the bi-directional interactions between HIV and herpes viruses, and the way in which this is modified by HIV therapy, maternal pMTCT prophylaxis, and antiviral suppressive therapy will enable the design of alternative preventative and therapeutic strategies to improve the health of HIV-infected children.
Publications
- Maqsood, R, Holland, LA, Wu, LI, Begnel, ER, Adhiambo, J, Owiti, P et al.. Gut virome and microbiome dynamics before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection in women living with HIV and their infants. Gut Microbes. 2024;16 (1):2394248. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2394248. PubMed PMID:39185682 .
- Nazziwa, J, Andrews, SM, Hou, MM, Bruhn, CAW, Garcia-Knight, MA, Slyker, J et al.. Higher HIV-1 evolutionary rate is associated with cytotoxic T lymphocyte escape mutations in infants. J Virol. 2024;98 (7):e0007224. doi: 10.1128/jvi.00072-24. PubMed PMID:38814066 PubMed Central PMC11265422.
- Žuštra, A, Leonard, VR, Holland, LA, Hu, JC, Mu, T, Holland, SC et al.. Longitudinal dynamics of the nasopharyngal microbiome in response to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and HIV infection in Kenyan women and their infants. Res Sq. 2024; :. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4257641/v1. PubMed PMID:38699359 PubMed Central PMC11065085.
- Maqsood, R, Holland, LA, Wu, LI, Begnel, ER, Adhiambo, J, Owiti, P et al.. Gut virome and microbiome dynamics before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection in women living with HIV and their infants. Res Sq. 2024; :. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4257515/v1. PubMed PMID:38699305 PubMed Central PMC11065063.
- Seminario, AL, Karczewski, AE, Chung, W, Wang, Y, Wamalwa, D, Benki-Nugent, S et al.. Salivary Cathelicidin (LL-37) in Children and Adolescents Living with HIV. Biomed Hub. 2024;9 (1):25-30. doi: 10.1159/000535596. PubMed PMID:38287973 PubMed Central PMC10824518.
Current Projects
The role of antibodies in mother-to-child HIV transmission
The effect of HIV exposure and infection on immunity to TB in children
CMV viremia and mortality in hospitalized HIV-infected children
CMV as a cause or co-pathogen in cervicitis
Maternal-infant virome transmission: the role of HIV and antiretroviral therapy
Viral determinants of natural human cytomegalovirus transmission
Infant immune mechanisms of HIV reservoir size and decay
Transitioning from Pediatric to Adult HIV Care in Kenya
Integrating oral health into the pediatric HIV care continuum