Preston A. Marx, PhD

Dr. Marx received his BS in Biology in 1966 from the University of New Orleans and received his Ph.D in Microbiology in 1969 from the Louisiana State University Medical Center. He was a Post-Doctoal Reseach Fellowfrom 1972-1974 at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. Dr. Marx was the Head of Virology and Immunology at the California Regional Primate Research Center from 1983-1990, was a Professor at the New Mexico Regional Primate Research Laboratory from 1990-1994, and was a Professor at the New York University Medical Center from 1994-1998. He joined the Tulane faculty in 1998. Dr. Marx is a career virologist with over one hundred publications in AIDS. In 1992, as Director of the New Mexico Primate Center, he oversaw the design and construction of a $10 million chimpanzee facility which included 24 outdoor areas for chimpanzees infected with HIV. Dr. Marx's main areas of research are the simian immunodeficiency virus models for AIDS pathogenesis and vaccine development. Dr. Marx's laboratory uses the SIV/macaque animal model to understand HIVmucosal transmission, pathogenesis and to test candidate vaccines. His recent studies have shown that progesterone, a female hormone, enhances SIV transmission across the vaginal epithelium. The simian origins of HIV-1 and HIV-2 in Africa are also a focus for the laboratory. Dr. Marx has identified new SIVs in West Africa that are part of the HIV-1 and HIV-2 genetic lineages. Dr. Marx has over $2 million dollars in funding for his research.

Level of Instruction:

Graduate