Dean Lab

The Dean lab of the Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases has a major focus on the development of a probiotic vaccine platform utilizing the probiotic organism Lactobacillus acidophilus. Specific applications include vaccines against human rotavirus, feline coronavirus (FECV) and SARS-CoV-2. We study the host mucosal immune response and immune mechanisms of multiple adjuvant strategies. The relationship between the host microbiome and mucosal immunity and the impact of oral vaccination on the intestinal microbiome are also active areas of research. Study of the immunpathogenesis of viral infections is an overarching emphasis.

research project

Vaccine Development Against SARS-CoV-2

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research project

Investigating the Relationship Between Recombinant Lactobacillus acidophilus and the Local Bacterial Microbiome

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research project

Vaccine Development for the Prevention of Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus (FIP)

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research project

Improvements in Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus (FIP) Diagnostics

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Publications

Harnessing flagellin of Ligilactobacillus agilis as a surface display scaffold for an HIV-1 epitope.
Suzuki S, Dean GA, Kajikawa A.  Appl Environ Microbiol. 2025 May 29:e0067425. doi: 10.1128/aem.00674-25. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40439423.

Host Functional Response to a Prototypic Orally Delivered Self-Replicating Vaccine Platform.
Vilander AC, Burak J, Gilfillan D, Dean GA, Abdo Z.  Vaccines (Basel). 2024 Jun 21;12(7):701. doi: 10.3390/vaccines12070701. PMID: 39066339; PMCID: PMC11281611.

An Aptamer-Based Proteomic Analysis of Plasma from Cats (Felis catus) with Clinical Feline Infectious Peritonitis.
Curtis BE, Abdo Z, Graham B, LaVoy A, Evans SJM, Santangelo K, Dean GA.  Viruses. 2024 Jan 18;16(1):141. doi: 10.3390/v16010141. PMID: 38257841; PMCID: PMC10819688.

Lactobacillus acidophilus Expressing Murine Rotavirus VP8 and Mucosal Adjuvants Induce Virus-Specific Immune Responses.
Gilfillan D, Vilander AC, Pan M, Goh YJ, O’Flaherty S, Feng N, Fox BE, Lang C, Greenberg HB, Abdo Z, Barrangou R, Dean GA. Vaccines (Basel). 2023 Nov 28;11(12):1774. doi: 10.3390/vaccines11121774. PMID: 38140179

Review: The PI3K-AKT-mTOR signal transduction pathway in canine cancer.
Meuten TK, Dean GA, Thamm DH.Vet Pathol. 2023 Oct 31:3009858231207021. doi: 10.1177/03009858231207021. Online ahead of print. PMID: 37905509

more publications

People

Gregg Dean headshot.
Gregg Dean, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACVP

Lab Principal Investigator (PI)
Professor

Allison Vilander
Allison Vilander, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACVP

Assistant Professor
Anatomic Pathology Residency Coordinator

Taylor Alley headshot
Taylor Alley, D.V.M., M.P.H.

Postdoctoral Fellow
Veterinary Resident

Alora LaVoy headshot.
Alora LaVoy

Research Associate IV
Lab Manager

Icon of a person on a green background.
Callie Lang

Research Associate II

Christian Cherry
Christian Cherry

Graduate Research Assistant

McKenzie Fletcher
McKenzie Fletcher

Graduate Research Assistant

Icon of a person on a green background.
Jasmin Dahl

Student Researcher

news and updates view all

May 8, 2025 And the winners are … CURC 2025 showcases student brilliance

Paris and Sophia Kiehl win CVMBS College Honors for their research titled, “Influence of bacterial lactic acid on mucosal immune responses after oral vaccination” at CURC 2025.
April 17, 2025 CSU students receive prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

Sophie Kiehl was named a 2025 NSF Graduate Research Fellow and Paris Kiehl received honorable mentions.
November 12, 2024 Morris Animal Foundation and EveryCat Health Foundation Join Forces to Fight Deadly Disease

An international consortium of researchers, led by Dr. Gregg Dean, are collaborating on a program to diagnose, treat and prevent a new form of feline infectious peritonitis in Cyprus.

contact information

Lab: Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases room 130

Office: Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases room 166

(970) 492-4368