Kenneth Roux
Encyclopedia
Dr. Kenneth Roux is an American academic biologist
whose research addresses structural analysis of the AIDS
viruses HIV-1
and SIV
, and the antibodies that neutralize them, as well as food-allergen
characterization and immunoassay
development. He is the Kurt G. Hofer Professor of Biological Science at Florida State University
(FSU), where he is affiliated with the Institute of Molecular Biophysics. He has been a member of FSU's biological science faculty since 1978.
Roux was a member of the research team (along with his research associate Ping Zhu) that used negative stain
electron microscopy
and cryo-electron microscopy
coupled with tomography
to produce the first detailed 3-D images of the surface of the AIDS viruses, revealing spike protein
s. They show that the three gp120 proteins in each spike consist of a lobed head and a three-legged stalk - and use comparisons with atomic structures to gain insight into the mechanism of fusion. The images produced in his research of HIV structure and genome provide important insights for the development of vaccines that will thwart infection by targeting and crippling the sticky HIV-1 spike proteins.
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
whose research addresses structural analysis of the AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
viruses HIV-1
Subtypes of HIV
One of the obstacles to treatment of the human immunodeficiency virus is its high genetic variability. HIV can be divided into two major types, HIV type 1 and HIV type 2 . HIV-1 is related to viruses found in chimpanzees and gorillas living in western Africa, while HIV-2 viruses are related to...
and SIV
Simian immunodeficiency virus
Simian immunodeficiency virus , also known as African Green Monkey virus and also as Monkey AIDS is a retrovirus able to infect at least 33 species of African primates...
, and the antibodies that neutralize them, as well as food-allergen
Allergen
An allergen is any substance that can cause an allergy. In technical terms, an allergen is a non-parasitic antigen capable of stimulating a type-I hypersensitivity reaction in atopic individuals....
characterization and immunoassay
Immunoassay
An immunoassay is a biochemical test that measures the presence or concentration of a substance in solutions that frequently contain a complex mixture of substances. Analytes in biological liquids such as serum or urine are frequently assayed using immunoassay methods...
development. He is the Kurt G. Hofer Professor of Biological Science at Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
(FSU), where he is affiliated with the Institute of Molecular Biophysics. He has been a member of FSU's biological science faculty since 1978.
Roux was a member of the research team (along with his research associate Ping Zhu) that used negative stain
Negative stain
Negative staining is an established method, often used in diagnostic microscopy, for contrasting a thin specimen with an optically opaque fluid....
electron microscopy
Electron microscope
An electron microscope is a type of microscope that uses a beam of electrons to illuminate the specimen and produce a magnified image. Electron microscopes have a greater resolving power than a light-powered optical microscope, because electrons have wavelengths about 100,000 times shorter than...
and cryo-electron microscopy
Cryo-electron microscopy
Cryo-electron microscopy , or electron cryomicroscopy, is a form of transmission electron microscopy where the sample is studied at cryogenic temperatures...
coupled with tomography
Tomography
Tomography refers to imaging by sections or sectioning, through the use of any kind of penetrating wave. A device used in tomography is called a tomograph, while the image produced is a tomogram. The method is used in radiology, archaeology, biology, geophysics, oceanography, materials science,...
to produce the first detailed 3-D images of the surface of the AIDS viruses, revealing spike protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
s. They show that the three gp120 proteins in each spike consist of a lobed head and a three-legged stalk - and use comparisons with atomic structures to gain insight into the mechanism of fusion. The images produced in his research of HIV structure and genome provide important insights for the development of vaccines that will thwart infection by targeting and crippling the sticky HIV-1 spike proteins.