Carol Shoshkes Reiss, Ph.D.[edit]

Carol Shoshkes Reiss, a viral immunologist, has been Professor in New York University’s Department of Biology since 1991. Her research focused on the dynamic contest between the mouse immune system and virus replication during infection of the central nervous system. Her research is both basic and translational.[edit]

Biography[edit]

Dr. Reiss attended public schools in South Orange before Bryn Mawr College (A.B. in Biology, 1972), Sarah Lawrence College (M.S. in Human Genetics, 1973). She earned a Ph.D. in Microbiology from Mount Sinai’s graduate school of Biomedical Sciences (1978, then affiliated with City University of New York); her dissertation[1] advisor was Jerome L. Schulman.

After completing her doctoral work, Dr. Reiss was a postdoctoral research fellow of Steven J. Burakoff in the department of Pathology at Harvard Medical School (1978-1981) and then an Instructor, Assistant Professor and Associate Professor of Pathology and Pediatric Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (1918-1991). She was the Chair of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and Director of the Animal Facility at Dana-Farber (1981-1989). She joined New York University as a tenured Full Professor in 1991. In addition to the department of Biology, she has faculty appointments in Neural Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science, and in the College of Global Public Health at NYU.

Dr. Reiss was actively engaged in peer review at every level. She was a member of NIH study sections and Special Emphasis panels. In addition, she served the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency on the Unconventional Pathogen Countermeasures and Molecular Pathogenesis panels (1996-2000). Dr. Reiss was Editor-in-Chief of the journal Viral Immunology (2000-2006) and is currently Editor-in-Chief of the journal DNA and Cell Biology (2012- present).

Dr. Reiss also organized international Keystone Symposia entitled Molecular Aspects of Viral Immunology (1990-2001) with several co-organizers, and NeuroImmunology conferences at New York Academy of Sciences (2004-6). She was the principal co-organizer of the March for Science NYC in 2018.

In addition to teaching courses on immunology and infectious diseases for both undergraduate and graduate students at NYU, she has been a mentor and advisor to many students. She was Director of Graduate Studies for M.S. students in Biology (1993-1999). She was also the co-Principle Investigator and co-Director of the NYU Science Training Enhancement Program (one of the seventeen NIH BEST programs) for 1200 doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows (2013-2018). She coordinates science faculty advisors for students at Tisch School of the Arts who are writing screenplays that compete for support by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

An autobiographical essay was recently published[2].

Scientific Work[edit]

Her research was supported (1980-2018) by grants from the National Institutes of Health. The research at Mt. Sinai characterized the ability of killed, subunit and attenuated influenza virus to induce immune responses and protection from infectious challenge by homotypic and heterotypic influenza viruses[1]. As a postdoctoral fellow she explored the responses of helper T cell responses to influenza[3] and mapped critical domains of class I Major Histocompatibility Complex molecules necessary for presenting viral peptides to cytolytic T cells[4],[5].

In collaboration with the virologist, Alice S. Huang, Reiss’s lab studied viral encephalitis -- the pathogenesis of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) infection in the central nervous system[2],[3],[4] and recognition of viral proteins[5]. The role and molecular mechanisms by which cytokines altered the course of infection was studied both in vitro and in vivo. These studies determined that the antiviral response of neurons to cytokines (interferons-b and -g, IL-12, and TNF-a) was profoundly different from cells of other origins[6],[7],[8],[9],[10],[11]. The lab also examined the impact of administration of cytokines[12],[13],[14],[15], and common drugs that modulated prostaglandins[16], leukotrienes[17], and cannabinoids[18] impacted the disease pathogenesis. Other studies developed a vector capable of either being a flexible vaccine platform or effective for killing tumor cells[19],[20]. These studies began as purely basic science and became translational for the treatment of viral encephalitis and cancer.

Honors and Awards[edit]

Dr. Reiss received awards both for her research and for her teaching. These include Outstanding Woman Scientist by the MetroNY chapter of AWIS (2001), Distinguished Visitor from the Biomedical Research Council of Singapore (2004), Residency at Villa Serbelloni on Lake Como, Italy, by the Rockefeller Foundation (2007), Teacher Recognition Award by the IES Brain Research Foundation (2009), and a Golden Dozen Teaching Award from NYU (2010). She was elected a Fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences in 2005.

Publications[edit]

Dr. Reiss published[1] more than 88 peer reviewed papers, 56 reviews and chapters, and 27 editorials. She also published two editions of the book Neurotropic Viral Infections[2].

Women in Science and Academia[edit]

Dr. Reiss joined the Association for Women in Science as a graduate student, was an active member of the Women’s Faculty Network at Harvard Medical School; she was the chair and remains a steering committee member of the Women’s Faculty Caucus of the Faculty of Arts and Science at NYU. The advancement, equity, and recognition of Women in Science and in Academia have been matters of importance for Dr. Reiss throughout her career. She has been inspired by the work of many experts including Virginia Valian, Sandra K. Masur[2], Madeline E. Heilman[3], Linda C. Babcock[4] and Deborah Tannen[5].

Dr. Reiss has chaired the Faculty of Arts and Science Equity Committee since 2000. She has been a strong advocate for Work-Life-Balance and was instrumental in establishment of the Work-Life office at NYU. She is among the Founding Members of the Rosalind Franklin Society and maintains an active role in a monthly dinner salon composed of ~30 women scientists.

Carol Shoshkes Reiss lives in New York City.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Valian

[2] https://icahn.mssm.edu/profiles/sandra-k-masur

[3] https://as.nyu.edu/content/nyu-as/as/faculty/madeline-e-heilman.html

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_C._Babcock

[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deborah_Tannen

[1] Reiss, C.S., (1978) Recognition of and Response of mice to Influenza Virus, Dissertation, Mount Sinai Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, City University of New York.

[2] https://storiesinscience.org/2019/06/29/learning-to-know-myself/

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=reiss_cs

[2] Reiss, CS. 2008. Editor, Neurotropic Viral Infections, Cambridge University Press.

(ISBN-13: 9780521869645). https://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521869641

Reiss, CS. 2016. Editor, Neurotropic Viral Infections, 2^nd Edition, Springer Scientific Publications. Volume 1: ISBN 9783319331317, http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319331317 and Volume 2: ISBN 97833193318817 http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319331881

[3] Huneycutt BS, Bi Z, Aoki C, and Reiss CS. Central Neuropathogenesis of Vesicular Stomatitis virus infection in immunodeficient mice. 1993. J. Virology 67:6698-6706. PMID:8105106

[4] Plakhov IV, Aoki C, Arlund E, and Reiss CS. The earliest events in vesicular stomatitis virus infection of the murine olfactory neuroepithelium and entry of the central nervous system. 1995. Virology, 209:257-262. PMID:7747478, Bi, Z, Barna M, Komatsu T, and Reiss CS. Vesicular stomatitis virus infection of the central nervous system activates both innate and acquired immunity. 1995. J. Virol., 69:6466-6472. PMID:7545248,

[5] Barna M, Komatsu, T, Bi Z, and Reiss CS. Sex differences in the susceptibility to viral infection of the central nervous system. 1996. J. NeuroImmunology, 67:31-39. PMID: 8707928

[5] Browning, MJ, Huang AS, Reiss CS. Cytolytic T cells in the BALB/c-H-2^dm2 mouse recognize the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein and are restricted by Class II MHC antigens. 1990. J. Immunology, 145:985-994. PMID:1695651

[6] Chesler, DA, C Dodard, GY Lee, D Levy, and CS Reiss. The IFN-γ-induced antiviral response to VSV infection is STAT-1-dependent. 2004 J. Neurovirology 10:57-63. PMID:14982729

[7] Chesler, DA, J. Munoz-Jordan, N. Donelan, A Garcia-Sastre, and CS Reiss. PKR is not required for IFN-γ inhibition of VSV replication in neurons. 2003. Viral Immunology 16:87-96. PMID: 12725691,

[8] Trottier, MD, BM Palian and CS Reiss. VSV replication in neurons is inhibited by Type I IFN at multiple stages of infection. 2005. Virology, 333:215-225. (Journal issue cover image) PMID: 15721356

[9] Yang, J, D Tugal, and CS Reiss. The role of the proteasome-ubiquitin pathway in regulation of the IFN-γ-mediated anti-VSV response in neurons. 2006. J. NeuroImmunol. 181:34-45. PMID:169593238

[10] D’Agostino, PM, J Amenta, and CS Reiss. 2009. IFN-β induced alteration of VSV protein phosphorylation in neuronal cells. Viral Immunology, 22:353-369. PMID: 19951173 PMCID PMC2812813

[11] Sarojini, S, T Theofanis, and CS Reiss. 2011. Tetherin is IFN-inducible in neuronal cells. DNA and Cell Biology, 30:965-974. PMID: 21919738

[12] Komatsu T, M Barna, and CS Reiss. IL-12 promotes recovery from viral encephalitis. 1997. Viral Immunology, 10:35-47. PMID: 9095530

[13] Komatsu T, and CS Reiss. IFN-γ is important but not required for the IL-12-response to vesicular stomatitis virus infection of the olfactory bulb. 1997. J. Immunol. 159:3444-3452. PMID: PMID: 9317143

[14] Ireland, DDC, T. Bang, T Komatsu, and CS Reiss. Delayed Administration of IL-12 is efficacious in promoting recovery from lethal viral encephalitis. 1999. Viral Immunology 12:35-40. PMID: 10333240

[15] Komatsu, T, DDC Ireland, N Chang, A Dore, M Yoder, and CS Reiss. Regulation of the Blood brain barrier during viral encephalitis: roles of IL-12 and NOS. 1999. Nitric Oxide: Biology and Chemistry, 3:327-339. PMID: 10444372

[16] Chen, N, A Restivo , and CS Reiss. Selective inhibition of COX-2 is beneficial to mice infected intranasally with VSV. 2002. Prostaglandins and other Inflammatory mediators, 67:143-155. PMID: 11936620, D’Agostino, PM, J Amenta, and CS Reiss. 2009. IFN-β induced alteration of VSV protein phosphorylation in neuronal cells. Viral Immunology, 22:353-369. PMID: 19951173 PMCID PMC2812813

[17] Chen, N, A. Restivo, and CS Reiss. Leukotrienes promote recovery early during experimental VSV encephalitis. 2001. J. NeuroImmunol. 120:94-102.PMID: 11694324

[18] Herrera, R.A., Oved, J., and CS Reiss. 2008. Disruption of the IFN-γ-mediated antiviral state in neurons: the role of cannabinoids. Viral Immunol.. 21:141-152. PMID: 18570588

[19] Miller, JM, S Bidula, TM Jensen, and CS Reiss. 2009. Cytokine-modified VSV is highly attenuated for neural pathology, but is both highly immunogenic and oncolytic. Int. J. IFN. Cytokine and Media Research, 1:15-22. Published 12/3/09 on line http://www.dovepress.com/articles.php?article_id=3797 NIHMSID: NIHMS207632. PMCID: PMC2895263,

[20] Miller, JM, SM Bidula, TM Jensen, and CS Reiss. 2010. Vesicular stomatitis virus modified with a single chain IL-23 exhibits oncolytic activity against tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Int. J. IFN. Cytokine and Media Research, 2:63-72. Published online 5/21/2010. http://www.dovepress.com/articles.php?article_id=4481. PMCID: PMC2885733; NIHMSID: NIHMS207632

[1] Reiss CS, Schulman JL, Influenza type A M protein expression on infected cells is responsible for the cross-reactive recognition by cytotoxic thymus derived lymphocytes. Infection and Immunity. 1980; 29:719-723. PMID:7011983

[2] Reiss CS, Burakoff SJ. The specificity of the helper T cell response for the cytolytic T lymphocyte response to influenza virus. J. Exp. Med. 1981; 154:541-546. PMID 6973607

[3] Reiss CS, Evans GA, Margulies DH, Seidman JG, Burakoff SJ. Allospecific and virus restricted cytolytic T lymphocytes are restricted to the N and/or C1 domains of H-2 antigens expressed on L cells following DNA mediated gene transfer. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.(USA). 1983; 80:2709-2712. PMID:6302702

[4] Murre C, Choi E, Weis J, Seidman JG, Ozato K, Liu LLM, Burakoff SJ, Reiss CS. Dissection of serological and cytolytic T lymphocyte epitopes on murine major histocompatibility antigens by a recombinant H-2 gene separating the first two external exons. J. Exp. Med. 1984; 160:167-178. PMID: 6203998

Category:Biography