Christina Gavegnano
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Assistant Professor
- (404) 727-3077
- christina.gavegnano@emory.edu
Overview
The Gavegnano Group studies inflammation as it relates to viral pathogenesis, with a specific focus on drug discovery and immunomodulation with small molecule inhibitors, including Jak inhibitors. Our group was the first to demonstrate a published antiviral and anti-HIV effect with the Jak inhibitor class of agents, including Ruxolitinib and Baricitinib. Our work has streamlined multiple clinical studies worldwide for HIV (A5336 AIDS Clinical Trial sponsored Phase 2a study) and for COVID-19 (ACTT2 and ACTT4 for COVID, and other phase 3 studies). This work led to Emergency Use Approval status from the FDA for baricitinib in November 2020 for treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 requiring oxygen. Our team continues to pursue mechanistic studies with Jak inhibitors to bolster additional understanding about how this class of agents facilitate antiviral effects by modulation of inflammation.
Our group also pursues drug discovery for novel immunomodulators for viral infections in high throughput screening platforms, and simultaneous phenotypic studies for lead candidate evaluation in an in vitro and ex vivo setting. Our team focuses on mechanistic virological studies to bolster understanding of the dynamics between viruses and host cells, including HIV. The goal of the group is a multi-platform foundation that dovetails basic science drug discovery, pharmacology, mechanistic studies, and translational application in the virology space, towards human studies and eventual IND status for candidate agents.
Academic Appointment
- AIDS Clinical Trial Group Neurology Scientific Working Group Member, ACTG
- Assistant Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine/Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University School of Medicine
Education
Degrees
- PhD, Pharmacology from Emory University
- MS, Immunology from University of Florida
Research
Publications
-
The identification of intact HIV proviral DNA from human cerebrospinal fluid.
Neurotherapeutics Volume: 21 Page(s): e00373
07/01/2024 Authors: Zhang Z; Reece MD; Roa S; Tyor W; Franklin DR; Letendre SL; Marconi VC; Anderson AM; Gavegnano C -
Honokiol hexafluoro confers reversal of neuropathological markers of HIV infection in a murine SCID model.
Neurotherapeutics Volume: 21 Page(s): e00329
03/01/2024 Authors: Zhang Z; Scanlan A; Koneru R; Morrell CR; Reece MD; Edwards E; Roa S; Gavegnano C; Bimonte-Nelson H; Arbiser J -
Readily available drugs and other interventions to potentially improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade in cancer.
Front Immunol Volume: 14 Page(s): 1281744
01/01/2023 Authors: Coleman M; Mascialino SJ; Panjwani A; Edwards E; Sukhatme VV; Gavegnano C; Sukhatme VP -
The comorbidity of depression and neurocognitive disorder in persons with HIV infection: call for investigation and treatment.
Front Cell Neurosci Volume: 17 Page(s): 1130938
01/01/2023 Authors: Goodkin K; Evering TH; Anderson AM; Ragin A; Monaco CL; Gavegnano C; Avery RJ; Rourke SB; Cysique LA; Brew BJ -
A Rationale and Approach to the Development of Specific Treatments for HIV Associated Neurocognitive Impairment.
Microorganisms Volume: 10
11/12/2022 Authors: Scanlan A; Zhang Z; Koneru R; Reece M; Gavegnano C; Anderson AM; Tyor W -
Cognitively Based Compassion Training for HIV Immune Nonresponders-An Attention-Placebo Randomized Controlled Trial.
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Volume: 89 Page(s): 340 - 348
03/01/2022 Authors: Titanji BK; Tejani M; Farber EW; Mehta CC; Pace TW; Meagley K; Gavegnano C; Harrison T; Kokubun CW; Negi SD -
Randomized Trial of Ruxolitinib in Antiretroviral-Treated Adults With Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
Clin Infect Dis Volume: 74 Page(s): 95 - 104
01/07/2022 Authors: Marconi VC; Moser C; Gavegnano C; Deeks SG; Lederman MM; Overton ET; Tsibris A; Hunt PW; Kantor A; Sekaly R-P -
Repurposing BCL-2 and Jak 1/2 inhibitors: Cure and treatment of HIV-1 and other viral infections.
Front Immunol Volume: 13 Page(s): 1033672
01/01/2022 Authors: Reece MD; Song C; Hancock SC; Pereira Ribeiro S; Kulpa DA; Gavegnano C -
Pharmacokinetics of Ruxolitinib in HIV Suppressed Individuals on Antiretroviral Agent Therapy from the ACTG A5336 Study.
J Clin Pharmacol Volume: 61 Page(s): 1555 - 1566
12/01/2021 Authors: Hurwitz SJ; Tao S; Gavegnano C; Jiang Y; Tressler RL; Tsibris A; Del Rio C; Overton ET; Lederman MM; Kantor A -
Large Mitochondrial DNA Deletions in HIV Sensory Neuropathy.
Neurology Volume: 97 Page(s): e156 - e165
07/13/2021 Authors: Roda RH; Bargiela D; Chen W; Perry K; Ellis RJ; Clifford DB; Bharti A; Kallianpur AR; Oliveira MF; Diaz MM