Jonathan D. Joyce and Andrea Bertke have published  "Assessment of Two Novel Live-Attenuated Vaccine Candidates for Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2) in Guinea Pigs" in Vaccines. 

Treatment to ameliorate the symptoms of infection with herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) and to suppress reactivation has been available for decades. However, a safe and effective preventative or therapeutic vaccine has eluded development. Two novel live-attenuated HSV-2 vaccine candidates (RVx201 and RVx202) have been tested preclinically for safety in guinea pigs. The findings suggest that these novel vaccine candidates are safe in guinea pigs and should be tested for efficacy as preventative and/or therapeutic anti-HSV-2 vaccines.

Andrea Bertke is an associate professor of infectious diseases in the college's Department of Population Health Sciences. She conducts research comparing the mechanisms by which HSV-1 and HSV-2 establish latent infection and reactivate to cause different presentations and outcomes of recurrent disease, and the role of the autonomic nervous system in these processes. Jonathan D. Joyce is a graduate student in the Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health (TBMH) graduate program.