Ellen Vitetta, PhD

Professor
Endowed Title: Scheryle Simmons Patigian Distinguished Chair in Cancer Immunobiology
Cancer Immunobiology Center, Immunology, Microbiology
Graduate Program: Biomedical Engineering
Cancer Biology
Immunology
Molecular Microbiology

Contact Information

UT Southwestern Medical Center
5323 Harry Hines Boulevard
Dallas, Texas 75390

Office Phone: 214-648-1229
Office Fax: 214-648-1252

ellen.vitetta@utsouthwestern.edu

Biography

NAME: Ellen S. Vitetta

POSITION TITLE: Director/Professor

EDUCATION/TRAINING:

Connecticut College, New London, CT, BA, 1964

NYU Graduate/Medical School, New York, NY, PhD, MD, 1968

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

1976 - Present Professor, Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, UT Southwestern;

1984 - 1988 Chairperson, Immunology Graduate Program, UT Southwestern;

1988 - Present Director, Cancer Immunobiology Center, Scheryle Simmons Patigian Distinguished Chair in Cancer Immunology, Distinguished Teaching Chair, UT Southwestern

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES, CONFERENCES, COMMITTEES (1990-2005)

Councilor, International Society of Immunopharmacology, 1991-

 Co-Editor in Chief, Therapeutic Immunology, 1992-1997

Scientific Advisory Board, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 1992-1995

 NCI Division of Cancer Treatment, Board of Scientific Counselors, 1993-1994

 Vice President and President, American Association of Immunologists, 1993-1995

 Association for Women in Science, 1994-

 Board of Scientific Counselors, Office of AIDS Research, 1995-1996

 National Research Council, 2001-.

 

AWARDS (1990-2007)

NIH Merit Award, 1987-1997

 Faculty Teaching Award, 1989, 1991-1996, 1999-2004

 FASEB Excellence in Science Award, 1991

 The Gibson D. Lewis Award for Cancer Control (Research Achievement), Texas Cancer Council, 1991

 Abbott Clinical Immunology Award, American Society for Microbiologists, 1992

 Past State President’ Award of the Texas Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, 1993

 National Academy of Sciences, 1994

 President, American Association of Immunologists, 1994-1995

 UCLA Distinguished Professorship, 1994

 Kinyoun Lecture, NIAID, NIH, 1994

 Rosenthal Award, American Association for Cancer Research, 1995

 College Medal, Connecticut College, 1997

 America Women in Medicine, Distinguished Scientist Award, 1998

 Academy of Cancer Immunology, 2001

 National Research Council Liaison/NAS, 2001

 American Association of Immunologists, Distinguished Mentoring Award, 2002

 American Association for Cancer Research Charlotte Friend Award and Lecture, 2002

 American Academy of Arts & Sciences Member, 2003

 Texas Academy of Sciences, Member, 2004

 Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Member, 2004

 Southwestern Academy of Teachers, 2006

 Texas Women’s Hall of Fame Award, 2006

 UT Academy of Health Science Education, 2006

 The Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science, 2006

 National Academy of Science Institute of Medicine, 2006

 Lifetime Achievement Award, American Association of Immunologists, 2007

PUBLICATIONS (480 total)

Smallshaw, J.E., Firan, A., Fulmer, J.R., et al. A Novel Recombinant Vaccine which Protects Mice Against Ricin Intoxication. Vaccine, 20:3422-3427., 2002.

Smallshaw, J.E., Ghetie, V., Rizo, J., et al. Genetic engineering of an immunotoxin to eliminate its ability to induce pulmonary vascular leak in mice. Nat. Biotechnol. 21:387-391,2003.

Spiridon, CI, Gunn, S. and Vitetta, E.S. A comparison of the in vitro activities of IgG and F(ab)2 fragments of a mixture of three monoclonal anti-Her-2 antibodies. Clin Can Res 10:3542-3551, 2004.

 Ghetie, M-A., Marches, R., Kufert, S., Vitetta, E.S. An anti-CD19 antibody inhibits the interaction between P-gp and CD19, causes P-gp to translocate out of lipid rafts and chemosensitizes a MDR lymphoma cell line. Blood 104:1, 178-183, 2004.

Smallshaw, J.E., Coleman, E., Spiridon, C., Vitetta, E.S. The generation and anti-myeloma activity of a chimeric anti-CD54 antibody, cUV3. J. Immunol 27:6,419-424,2004.

Pop, L. M., Liu, X, Ghetie, V., and Vitetta, E.S. The generation of immunotoxins using chimeric anti-CD22 antibodies containing mutations which alter their serum half life. International Immunopharmacology, 5/7-8, 1279-1290, 2005.

Smallshaw, J., Richardson, J.A., Pincus, S., et al. Preclinical toxicity and efficacy testing of RiVax, a recombinant protein vaccine against Ricin. Vaccine, 23:4775-4784, 2005.

 

Education

Graduate SchoolNew York Medical College (1968)
Graduate SchoolNew York Medical College (1966)

Research Interests

Antibody-based therapies
Cancer Dormancy
Nanotechnology
Vaccines

Publications

A pilot clinical trial of a recombinant ricin vaccine in normal humans

Vitetta, E.S., Smallshaw, J.E., Coleman, E., Jafri, H., Foster, C., Munford, R., and Schindler, J , PNAS , Spring 2006; (103:7):2268-2273

RiVax, a recombinant ricin subunit vaccine, protects mice against ricin delivered by gavage or aerosol

Smallshaw, J.E., Richardson, J.A., and Vitetta, E.S , Vaccine , 2007; (25):7459=7469

Generation and characterization of a novel tetravalent anti-CD22 antibody with improved antitumor activity and pharmacokinetics

Liu, X., Pop, L., Smallshaw, J.E., Ghetie, V., Vitetta, E.S , Int Immunopharma , 2006; (6:5):791-799

Preclinical toxicity and efficacy testing of RiVax, a recombinant protein vaccine against ricin

Smallshaw, J., Richardson, J.A., Pincus, S., Schindler, J., and Vitetta, E.S. , Vaccine , 2005; (23:39):4775-4784

An anti-CD19 antibody inhibits the interaction between P-gp and CD19, causes P-gp to translocate out of lipid rafts and chemosensitizes a multi-drug resistant lymphoma cell line

Ghetie, M-A., Marches, R., Kufert, S., Vitetta, E.S. , Blood , 2004; (104:1):178-183

Honors/Awards

American Association of Immunologists

Lifetime Achievement Award (2007)

Texas Women’s Hall of Fame

Award (2007)

Institute of Medicine

Member (2006)

American Association of Cancer Research

Rosenthal Award (1995)

National Academy of Sciences

Member (1994)

Professional Associations/Affiliations

Academy of Cancer Immunology

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

American Assocation of Immunologists

American Association of Cancer Research

American Women in Science