Biography
Dr. Schuetz received her Ph.D. from the University of Saarland in collaboration with Bayer HealthCare AG, Germany in 2004. After being involved in HIV/TB co-infection research in collaboration with Mbeya Medical Research Program, Tanzania and working as a project coordinator at the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering, she started working with MHRP in 2006 and relocated first to Mbeya, Tanzania, where she served as Head of Immunology and Specimen Processing. Here she developed in-country research capacity, designed and executed immunology research in the context of HIV vaccine trials and continued her research on HIV/TB co-infection. In 2008 she moved with MHRP to Bangkok, Thailand and is since then involved in research on acute HIV infection, cure studies and HIV vaccine trials.
Research
Dr. Alexandra Schuetz’s Lab in Thailand works to understanding the mechanisms by which HIV infection causes dysfunction of the gastrointestinal and reproductive tract, and the lymphoid immune systems. One of the main objectives of her work is to better understand the mucosal determinants of HIV transmission and events occurring during early acute HIV infection and their implication for the development of potential vaccine and cure strategies. In parallel, the Schuetz Lab is conducting research characterizing mucosal, lymphoid and peripheral immune responses in the context of the RV144 follow up studies and other novel vaccine strategies to determine potential mechanisms of protection and to help developing future HIV vaccine candidates.
Selected Publications
Characterization of Cellular Immune Responses in Thai Individuals with and without HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders. Schuetz A*, Ratto-Kim S*, Sithinamsuwan P, Barber J, Hutchings N, Lerdlum S, Fletcher JLK, Phuang-Ngern Y, Chuenarom W, Tipsuk S, Pothisri M, Jadwattanakul T, Jirajariyavej S, Sajjaweerawan C, Akapirat S, Chalermchai T, Suttichom D, Keawboon B, Prueksakaew P, Karnsomlap P, Clifford D, Paul RH, de Souza M, Kim JH, Anaworanich J, Valcour V. AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, 01 Aug 2018.
Integrin α4β7 expression on peripheral blood CD4+ T cells predicts HIV acquisition and disease progression outcomes. Sivro A, Schuetz A, Sheward D, V Joag V, Yegorov S, Liebenberg LJ, Yende N, Stalker A, Mwatelah RS, Selhorst P, Garrett N, SamsunderN, Balgobin A, Nawaz F, Cicala C, Arthos J, Fauci AS, Anzala AO,10, Kimani J, Bagaya BS, Kiwanuka N, Williamson C, R Kaul R, Passmore JAS, Phanuphak N, Ananworanich J, Ansari A,Karim QA, Karim SSA, McKinnon LR on behalf of the CAPRISA004 and RV254 study groups. Sci Transl Med. 2018 Jan 24;10(425)
Safety and Immunogenicity of PENNVAX-G DNA Prime Administered by Biojector 2000 or CELLECTRA Electroporation Device With Modified Vaccinia Ankara-CMDR Boost. Ake JA, Schuetz A, Pegu P, Wieczorek L, Eller MA, Kibuuka H, Sawe F, Maboko L, Polonis V, Karasavva N, Weiner D, Sekiziyivu A, Kosgei J, Missanga M, Kroidl A, Mann P, Ratto-Kim S, Anne Eller L, Earl P, Moss B, Dorsey-Spitz J, Milazzo M, Laissa Ouedraogo G, Rizvi F, Yan J, Khan AS, Peel S, Sardesai NY, Michael NL, Ngauy V, Marovich M, Robb ML. J Infect Dis. 2017 Nov 27;216(9):1080-1090.
Early cART during HIV-1 acute infection attenuates GI tract inflammation and immune activation but does not prevent CD4+ T cell depletion in the lamina propria or restore CD4+ T cells after 96 weeks of treatment. Deleage C, Schuetz A, Johnston L, Xing-Pei H, Morcock D, Rerknimitr R, FletcherJLK, Puttamaswin S, Phanuphak N, Robb ML, Kim JH, Schacker T, Hunt P, Lifson JD, Ananworanich J, EstesJD on behalf of the RV254/SEARCH 010 and RV304/SEARCH 013 Study Groups. JCI Insight. 2016 July 7; 1(10)
Initiation of ART during Early Acute HIV Infection Preserves Mucosal Th17 Function and Reverses HIV-Related Immune Activation. Schuetz A, Deleage C, Sereti I, Rerknimitr R, Phanuphak N, Phuang-Ngern Y, Estes JD, Sandler NG, Sukhumvittaya S, Marovich M, Jongrakthaitae S, Akapirat S, Fletscher LJ, Kroon E, Dewar R, Trichavaroj R, Chomchey N, Douek DC, O’Connell RJ, Ngauy V, Robb ML, Phanuphak P, Michael NM, Excler JL, Kim JH, de Souza MS, Ananworanich J; RV254.SEARCH 010 and RV304/SEARCH 013 Study Groups. PLoS Pathogens. 2014 Dec11;10(12)
Pathogen-prevalence may determine maintenance of antigen-specific T-cell responses in HIV-infected individuals. Schuetz A, Dirks J, Sester U, Haule A, Elias N, Geldmacher C, Sanga E, Maboko L, Reither K, Hoelscher M, Meyerhans A, and Sester M. AIDS. 2012 Mar 27;26(6):695-700
Monitoring CD27 Expression to Evaluate Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Activity in HIV-1 Infected Individuals In Vivo. Schuetz A, Haule A, Reither K, Ngwenyama N, Rachow A, Meyerhans A, Maboko L, Koup RA, Hoelscher M, Geldmacher C. PLoS ONE, 2011;6(11):e27284