Mark Slifka, Ph.D. and his colleagues are investigating the underlying mechanisms of humoral and cell-mediated immunity against acute and chronic viral infections. This work has included developing several models of viral infection and/or vaccination in order to address basic immunological questions related to the development and maintenance of long-term protective immunity. This is collectively referred to as “immunological memory”. Dr. Slifka’s group has also developed a series of clinical studies in which they analyze immunological memory directly in human subjects. During the course of this work, they study a number of viruses including arenaviruses (lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, LCMV), alphaviruses (chikungunya virus, Eastern-, Western-, and Venezualen equine encephalitis viruses), orthopoxviruses (vaccinia, cowpox, monkeypox, smallpox) and flaviviruses (West Nile virus, yellow fever, dengue and zika).