Group: Regional Biocontainment Lab

Elsa Ronzier joined the Biomedical Research Laboratory (BRL) within the Institute for Biohealth Innovation in July 2024 as an Infectious Disease Research Faculty.

At the BRL, Dr. Ronzier is using cell culture, organ on-a-chip technology and animal models coupled with confocal and SEM imaging, genomic & biochemistry techniques and flow cytometry to study host-pathogen interactions, cell signaling, endocytosis mechanisms, exosome production, immune cell activation and inflammation in order to support therapeutic discoveries and novel biomaterial development.

During her PhD and post-doctoral trainings, Elsa Ronzier studied ion channel post-translational modifications and trafficking in plant and animal models. She also studied on macrophage activation during inflammatory stimulation to better understand immunological dysfunctions and actinopathies. Since 2021, as a Cell and Molecular Biologist, Dr. Ronzier deciphered the early cellular signaling responses to traumatic injuries to understand and prevent organ dysfunctions after injuries and then studied protein trafficking and quality control in order to comprehend neurodegenerative diseases.

Scott M. Anthony, M.S., Ph.D., is a Research Assistant Professor of Infectious Disease at the Biomedical Research Laboratory within the Institute for Biohealth Innovation at George Mason University. Dr. Anthony currently performs research broadly covering the immunological correlates of infection and protective immunity against diverse pathogens requiring BSL-2 or BSL-3 containment to advance the understanding of the host–pathogen dynamics and contribute to the development of improved therapies and vaccines against emerging infectious diseases. Dr. Anthony has a broad background in cellular immunology, animal model development, immunoassay development, flow cytometry, and dynamic optical imaging technologies with extensive training and expertise across the adaptive and innate immune responses against cancer and over 14 years of research experience with infectious diseases across all four biosafety levels, including (but not limited to) Malaria, Influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and Ebola.

Dr. Anthony previously worked as an ORISE Research Fellow at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Frederick, MD, USA, while attaining his M.S. in Biotechnology at Johns Hopkins University (JHU), Baltimore, MD, USA. Dr. Anthony conducted his Ph.D. studies at MD Anderson Cancer UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) in Houston, TX, USA. During his postdoctoral work and as an Associate Research Scientist at the University of Iowa, Dr. Anthony investigated the mechanisms for the generation, maintenance, and function of pathogen-specific memory CD8 T cells and developed an intravital 2-photon microscopy research program in the laboratory of Dr. John T. Harty. Immediately preceding George Mason, Dr. Anthony previously performed and facilitated research against numerous risk group 4 viral pathogens including Lassa, Nipah, Marburg, and Ebola as an Immunologist (contractor) at the NIH NIAID Division of Clinical Research (DCR) Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick (IRF-Frederick) in Frederick, MD, USA.

Dr. Anthony has received several awards, including the 2019 AAI Lefrancois-Biolgend Memorial Award and the 2022 NIAID IRF-Frederick Safety award, has published more than 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, and serves as a subject matter expert as an editor and collection editor for Vaccines (MDPI) and an ad-hoc reviewer for more than 10 scientific journals including JCI Insight, npjVaccines, Cytokine, iScience, Frontiers in Immunology, and Viruses. Dr. Anthony can be found on ResearchGate by clicking here.

As Associate Director of the Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (BRL), Dr. Alem leads a team operations, facilities, and research staff and works in collaboration with GMU’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety and Office of Research Integrity and Assurance (animal care). He brings over 18 years of experience in biomedical research with a focus on immunology and infectious diseases. This includes 10 years working in the high containment in GMU’s regional biocontainment laboratory, designated as the Biomedical Research Laboratory (BRL).

Through his research, Dr. Alem evaluates mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions during infection and tests vaccines and therapeutics in development using live animal models of infection. He has experience working with several infectious agents in vitro and in vivo including parasites (Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Heligmosomoides polygyrus), bacteria (Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Burkholderia psuedomalei, Francisella tularensis, Brucella abortus), and viruses Bunyaviridae (RVFV), Togaviridae (VEEV, EEV, CHIKV), and Coronaviridae (SARS-CoV2).

Dr. Alem earned his B.S. in Biology from Mary Washington University and PhD in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases from George Mason University.