Edward Walsh is Professor of Medicine at the University of Rochester, and Head of Infectious Diseases at the Rochester General Hospital. His research activities since 1980 have revolved around many aspects of RSV infection. These include characterizing the function and antigenic characteristics of the viral proteins, primarily the F and G glycoproteins. This work also involved study of their role as potential vaccines in animal models of RSV infection. Dr. Walsh's clinical research has centered on describing the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of RSV infection in adult populations with an emphasis on high risk and elderly populations. Laboratory work has attempted to describe immune correlates of protection in these groups. Currently, he is completing a three year study on the pathogenesis of disease severity in full term infants with primary RSV infection.
Selected research publications:
Walsh EE, Hruska JF. Monoclonal antibodies to respiratory syncytial virus proteins: Identification of the fusion protein. J Virol 47:171, 1983.
Walsh EE, Hall CB, Schlesinger JJ, Brandriss, MW, Hildreth S, Paradiso P. Comparison of antigenic sites of subtype specific respiratory syncytial virus attachment proteins. J Gen Virol 70:2953, 1989.
Walsh EE, Falsey AR, Sullender WM. Monoclonal antibody neutralization escape mutants of respiratory syncytial virus with unique alterations in the attachment (G) protein. J. Gen. Virol. 69:479-487, 1998.
Falsey AR, Hennessey PA, Formica MA, Cox C, Walsh EE. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Elderly and High-Risk Adults. New Engl J Med 2005; 352:1749-1759.
Walsh EE, Peterson DR, Falsey AR. Another piece of the puzzle: Human Metapneumovirus Infection in Adults. Arch Intern Med 2009;168:2489-2496
Walsh EE, Peterson DR, Kalkanoglu A, Lee FE-H, Falsey AR. Viral Shedding and Immune Responses to Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Older Adults. J Infect Dis 2013; 207:1424-32
Johnson AM, McNally BA, Ionnidis I, Flano E, Teng MN, Oomens AG, Walsh EE, Peeples ME. Respiratory Syncytial Virus uses CX3CR1 as a receptor on primary human airway epithelial cultures. (2015) PLoS Pathog 11(12):e1005318.doi:10.1371/journal.ppat1005318