Dr. Tiziana Corsello-Gorgun has been awarded the prestigious Parker B. Francis Fellowship in Pulmonary Research to study extracellular vesicles and their role in carrying respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Corsello-Gorgun is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Clinical and Experimental Immunology and Infectious Diseases at UTMB. This award, in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, provides up to $75,000 in funding per year for three years.

EVs are particles containing protein messengers that can modulate the function of cells they encounter. Corsello-Gorgun's laboratory will characterize the structure, protein composition and potential antiviral activity of EVs released by human upper airways during episodes of RSV infection.

The long-term goal of this research is to establish new knowledge of EV structure and function in the upper airways and understand their potential to travel to the lower airways, where they may protect the lungs or modulate immune responses during viral respiratory infections.