Dr. Harry Wilson Dickerson

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University of Georgia
College of Veterinary Medicine
Research and Graduate Affairs
Associate DeanAppointed: 1997
University of Georgia
College of Veterinary Medicine
Infectious Diseases
ProfessorAppointed: 1987

Mailing Address

College of Veterinary Medicine
D.W. Brooks Dr.
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia 30602
United States

Contact Information

Phone: (706) 542-5734
Fax: (706) 542-8254
hwd@vet.uga.edu

Qualifications

Ph.D., University of Georgia, Microbiology, 1985.
B.V.Sc., University of Pretoria, Veterinary Medicine, 1977.
B.A., Colby College, Biology, 1971.

Expertise and Research Interests

My research interests are in the areas of comparative immunology and molecular parasitology. My laboratory studies the parasitic ciliate Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, a common and devastating pathogen of freshwater fishes. Our long term goal is to elucidate the basic mechanisms of cutaneous and mucosal immunity in teleosts in general, with the short term specific objective of developing an effective vaccine against I. multifiliis for use in aquaculture. We have identified a family of surface antigens that allow serotypic characterization of different parasite isolates. Moreover, these GPI anchored proteins (referred to as surface immobilization antigens, or i-antigens) elicit the production of protective antibodies following intraperitoneal injection in naive channel catfish. We have cloned the genes encoding i-antigens from two different serotypes of I. multifiliis (namely, G5 and NY1), and expressed these proteins in Tetrahymena thermophila, an easily cultured, free-living ciliate. Transformed T. thermophila display recombinant i-antigens on their surface membranes, or secrete truncated proteins lacking the GPI anchor into the surrounding media, depending on which gene construct is used. The current techniques of the laboratory include PCR; monoclonal antibody production; protein purification; protein sequence analysis;DNA sequence analysis; construction of DNA expression vectors; and northern, western and Southern blot analyses.

Other Expertise

Academic Experience:
Administrative and budget management experience (from 1997 to present) as Director of the University of Georgia Veterinary Medical Experiment Station.

Future Research

Future research plans are to investigate the ontogeny of immunity in vertebrates using the zebrafish as a model host system. Both forward and reverse genetic appraches will be used to investigate the cellular basis of immunity in lower vertebrates.

Industrial Relevance

Development of vaccines for aquaculture

Keywords

COS Keywords:

Fish and Fisheries, Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Parasitology, Vaccine.

Additional Terms:

Ciliate Molecular Biology, Fish Immunology, Molecular Parasitology, Veterinary Microbiology.

Languages

(Reading, Writing, Speaking)

Afrikaans: (Basic, Basic, Basic)
German: (Basic, None, None)

Memberships

American Association for the Advancement of Science
American College of Veterinary Microbiologists
American Veterinary Medical Association
Society of Protozoologists

Honors and Awards

1995, Creative Research Medal, The University of Georgia Research Foundation
1993, Award for Research Excellence, SmithKline Beecham, Veterinary Medicine

Previous Positions

1985-1987, Genetics, University of Georgia, Postdoctoral Fellow
1980-1985, University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Research Assistant
1977-1980, Private Veterinary Practice

Patents

Ich Immobilization Antigen and Fish Vaccine, USSN 07/763, 352, 9/20/91, institution ownership, joint inventor

Funding Received

  • United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program (NRICGP): The Immobilization Antigens of Ichthyophthirius:from Genes to Vaccines, $300,000, Sep 1, 2002 to Aug 31, 2005.
  • USDA, NRICGP: Can A DNA Vaccine Induce Cutaneous Immunity?, $280,000, Sep 1, 2000 to Aug 31, 2003.
  • USDA, NRICGP: Can a DNA Vaccine Induce Cutaneous Immunity in Fish?, $190,000, Sep 1, 1997 to Aug 31, 2000.
  • USDA, NRICGP: Molecular Approaches Toward the Control of Ichthyophthirius infection, $249,000, Sep 1, 1995 to Aug 31, 1998.
  • USDA, NRICGP: Molecular Approaches Toward the Control of Ichthyophthirius Infection, $300,000, Dec 1, 1998 to Nov 30, 2001.

Publications

  • Alton G. Swennes, Jane G. Noe, Craig Findly, Harry W. Dickerson (2006) Differences in virulence between two serotypes of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 69, 227-232
  • Harry W. Dickerson (2006) Ichthyophthirius multifiliis and Cryptocaryon irritans (Phylum Ciliophora), Fish Diseases and Disorders Volume 1: Protozoan and Metazoan Infections, Second Edition, Cambridge, MA, CABI, 116-153 pages, ISBN=13:978-0-851 (bookchapter)
  • Joanne L. Maki, Harry W. Dickerson (2003) Systemic and Cutaneous Mucus Antibody Responses of Channel Catfish Immunized against the Protozoan Parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, 10 (5), 876-881
  • Wang, X, Dickerson, H.W., Surface Immobilization Antigens of the Parasitic Ciliate Ichthyophthirius multifiliis Elicits Protective Immunity in Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, 9(1), 176-181, 2002
  • Everett, K.D, Knight, J.R, Dickerson, H.W., Comparing Tolerance of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis and Tetrahymena thermophila for New Cryopreservation Methods, Journal of Parasitology, 88(1), 41-46, 2002
  • Wang, X, Clark, T.G, Dickerson, H.W., Immunization of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) with Ichthyophthirius multifiliis immobilization antigens elicits serotype-specific protection, Fish and Shellfish Immunology, 12, In press, 2002
  • Maki, J.L, Brown, C.C, Dickerson, H.W., Occurence of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis within the peritoneal cavities of infected channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 44, 41-45, 2001
  • Gaertig J, Gao Y, Tishgarten T, Clark TG, Dickerson HW, Surface display of a parasite antigen in the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila [see comments, Nat. Biotechnology, 17(5), 462-5, May 1999 Abstract
  • Dickerson H, Clark T, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis: a model of cutaneous infection and immunity in fishes., Immunological Reviews, 166, 377-84, December 1998 Abstract
  • Lin T L, Clark T G, Dickerson H, Passive immunization of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) against the ciliated protozoan parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis by use of murine monoclonal antibodies., Infection and Immunity, 64(10), 4085-90, October 1996 Abstract
  • Clark T G, Lin T L, Dickerson H W, Surface antigen cross-linking triggers forced exit of a protozoan parasite from its host., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 93(13), 6825-9, 25 Jun 1996 Abstract
  • Noe J G, Dickerson H W, Sustained growth of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis at low temperature in the laboratory., Journal of Parasitology, 81(6), 1022-4, December 1995 Abstract
  • Dickerson H W, Clark T G, Leff A A, Serotypic variation among isolates of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis based on immobilization., Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 40(6), 816-20, November 1993 Abstract
  • Clark T G, McGraw R A, Dickerson H W, Developmental expression of surface antigen genes in the parasitic ciliate Ichthyophthirius multifiliis., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 89(14), 6363-7, 15 Jul 1992 Abstract
  • Lin T L, Dickerson H W, Purification and partial characterization of immobilization antigens from Ichthyophthirius multifiliis., Journal of Protozoology, 39(4), 457-63, July 1992 Abstract
  • Alton G. Swennes, R. Craig Findly, Harry W. Dickerson, Cross-immunity and antibody responses to different immobilization serotypes of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Fish & Shellfish Immunology, In Press
  • Xu, C., Clark, T. G., and Dickerson, H. W., Analysis of the Soluble and Membrane bound Immobilization Antigens of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis., J. Euk. Microbiol., 42:558-564, 1995
  • Leff, A. A., Yoshinaga, T., and Dickerson, H. W., Cross Immunity in Channel Catfish Against Two Immobilization Serotypes of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, J. Fish Dis., 17:429-432, 1994
  • Yoshinaga, T., and Dickerson, H. W., Laboratory Propagation of Cryptocaryon irritans on a saltwater-adapted Poecilia hybrid, the Black Molly, J. Aquatic Animal Health, 6:197-201, 1994
  • Dickerson, H. W., Clark, T. G., and Leff, A. A., Serotypic Variation Among Isolates of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis Based on Immobilization, J. Euk. Microbiol., 40:816-820, 1993
  • Clark, T.G., McGraw, R. A., and Dickerson, H. W., Developmental Expression of Surface Antigen Genes in the Parasitic Ciliate, Ichthyophthririus multifiliis, Proc.Nat. Acad. Sci.(USA),89:6363-6367, 1992

Profile Details

Last Verified: 8/17/2006

COS Expertise ID #231897
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