Joseph Donfack, Ph.D.

Education

Research Interests

• Identify genes that influence both quantitative and qualitative traits
• Understand how alleles in these candidate loci influence the function and the disease phenotypes
• Understand their evolutionary history

Current Projects

My current ongoing research project has focused on Severe Pediatric Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER). Using genome-wide screen approach, our laboratory identified a genetic locus that cosegregates with severe GER in Caucasian families with multiple affected members at 6 cM susceptibility region on human chromosome 13q14. This region is currently the focus of fine mapping using linkage disequilibrium mapping and positional cloning.

Another project of interest but not yet initiated focused on Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (RRP). We would like to perform a genome scan approach using short tandem repeat polymorphisms (STRPs) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to identify RRP susceptibility loci.

Honors And Awards

World Health Organization (W.H.O.), 1997
Edna McConnel Clark Foundation (NIAID, NIH), 1996
The American Red Cross, 1996
The European Community, 1993
The Jackson Laboratory Fellowship, 2000

Publications

Donfack J, Buchinsky FJ, Derkay CS, Steinberg BM, Choi SS, Conley SF, Myer CM III, McClay JE, Campisi P, Hu FZ, Preston RA, Abramson AL, Ehrlich GD, Post JC.  Four mutations in epidermodysplasia verruciformis 1 (EVER1) gene are not contributors to susceptibility in RRP. Int J Pedatr Otorhinolaryngol 70:1235-1240, 2006.

Donfack J, Buchinsky FJ, Post JC, Ehrlich GD.  Human susceptibility to viral infection:  The search for HIV-protective alleles among Africans by means of genome-wide studies.  AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 22;10:925-930, 2006.

Sherwood ML, Buchinsky FJ, Quigley MR, Donfack J, Choi SS, Conley SF, Derkay CS, Myer CM III, Ehrlich GD, Post JC.  Unique challenges of obtaining regulatory approval for a multicenter protocol to study the genetics of RRP and suggested remedies.  Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 135:189-196, 2006.

Hu FZ, Donfack J, Ahmed A, Dopico R, Johnson S, Post JC, Ehrlich GD, Preston RA.  Fine mapping a gene for pediatric gastroesophageal reflux on human chromosome 13q14.  Hum Genet 114;6:562-572, 2004.

Buchinsky FJ, Derkay CS, Leal SM, Donfack J, Ehrlich GD, Post JC.  Multicenter initiative seeking crtical genes in respiratory papillomatosis.  Laryngoscope  114:349-357, 2004.

Donfack J, Kogut P, Forsythe S, Solway J, Ober C. Sequence variation in the promoter region of the cholinergic receptor muscarinic 3 gene and asthma and atopy. J Allergy Clin Immunol  March;111(3):527-532, 2003.

Frisse L, Hudson RR, Bartoszewicz A, Wall JD, Donfack J, Di Rienzo A. gene conversion and different population histories may explain the contrast between polymorphism and linkage disequilibrium levels. Am J Hum Genet  Oct;69(4):831-43, 2001.

Donfack J., Tsalenko A., Hoki DM, Parry R., Solway J., Lester LC, Ober C. HLA HLA-DRB1*01 alleles are associated with sensitization to cockroach allergens. J Allergy Clin Immunol  May;105(5):960-966, 2000.

Donfack J, Ngu J. L., Lando G., Zimmerman P. A., Nutman T. B., Ekobo S. A. HLA class II alleles and clinical Onchocerciasis in three different ethnic population in Cameroon. Bulletin de Société de Pathologie Exotique  May;92(2): 85-90, 1999.

Lando G, Simo G, Tatchum G, Donfack J, Djoha S, Tume C. Proteolytic activity of Onchocerca volvulus Crude Extract. Bulletin de Société de Pathologie Exotique  Feb;92(1):9-12, 1999.

Ngu JL, Nkenfou C, Capuli E, McMoli TE, Perler F, Mbwagbor J, Tume C, Nlatte OB, Donfack J, Asonganyi T. Novel, sensitive and low-cost diagnostic tests for 'river blindness'--detection of specific antigens in tears, urine and dermal fluid. Trop Med Int Health  May;3(5):339-48, 1998.


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