J. Calvin Kouokam, Ph.D.

Education:J. Calvin Kouokam, Ph.D.          

B.S., Biochemistry, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon; 1993
"Maîtrise" (Postgraduate Diploma), University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon; 1995
“D.E.A “ (M.SC), University of Yaounde, Yaounde 1, Cameroon; 1997
Ph.D. (Dr. rer. nat), University of Saarland, Saarbrucken, Germany; 2002

Curriculum Vitae

Current Positions:

Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center of Predictive Medicine, University of Louisville
Member, Cancer Care & Control Program, James Graham Brown Cancer Center

Contact Information:

505 S. Hancock St.
CTR, Rm 442F
Louisville, KY 40202
Tel. 502-852-8632

Email:. J0kouo0@louisville.edu

Research Description:

One of the main projects of my laboratory is plant production and assessment of mistletoe lectins for cancer treatment. In Europe, especially German speaking regions, mistletoe extracts are widely used for the treatment of cancer, usually as alternative therapeutics. It is widely believed that mistletoe lectins are the anticancer agents in these extracts. However, extract composition in mistletoe lectins (MLI, II and III; ribosome-inactivating proteins [RIPs]) and viscotoxin varies greatly according to the host plant, harvest time, and other factors. Producing MLs and viscotoxin in Nicotiana benthamiana would allow the assessment of single proteins or their combinations for therapeutic activities against cancer.

Another major project is assessing Griffithsin and variants for its use in HIV-infected patients with colorectal pathologies as well as its multipurpose use beyond HIV/AIDS.

Finally, my laboratory is interested in the identification and isolation of compounds with antimicrobial or anticancer activities from selected African plants.

Literature Cited:

  1. Mazalovska M, Kouokam JC.  Lectins as promising therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of HIV and other potential coinfections.  BioMed Research International 2018 May 8;2018:3750646. PMID: 29854749. PMCID: PMC5964492.
  2. Baldauf KJ, Royal JM, Kouokam JC, Haribabu B, Jala VR, Yaddanapudi K, Hamorsky KT, Dryden GW, Matoba N.  Oral administration of a recombinant cholera toxin B subunit promotes mucosal healing in the colon.  Mucosal Immunology 2017 Jul;10(4):887-900. PMID: 27805617.
  3. Barton C, Kouokam JC, Hurst H, Palmer KE.  Pharmacokinetics of the qntiviral lectin Griffithsin administered by different routes indicates multiple potential uses.  Viruses 2016 Dec 17;8(12). pii: E331. PMID: 27999325. PMCID: PMC5192392.
  4. Kouokam JC, Lasnik AB, Palmer KE.  Studies in a murine model confirm the safety of Griffithsin and advocate its further development as a microbicide targeting HIV-1 and other enveloped viruses. Viruses 2016 Nov 17;8(11). Pii: E311.PMID: 27869695. PMCID: PMC5127025.
  5. Hamorsky KT, Kouokam JC, Jurkiewicz JM, Nelson B, Moore LJ, Husk AS, Kajiura H, Fujiyama K, Matoba N.  N-glycosylation of cholera toxin B subunit in Nicotiana benthamiana: impacts on host stress response, production yield and vaccine potential.  Scientific Reports 2015 Jan 23;5:8003. PMID: 25614217. PMCID: PMC4303877.
  6. Barton C, Kouokam JC, Lasnik AB, Foreman O, Cambon A, Brock G, Montefiori DC, Vojdani F, McCormick AA, O'Keefe BR, Palmer KE.  Activity of and effect of subcutaneous treatment with the broad-spectrum antiviral lectin griffithsin in two laboratory rodent models.  Antimicrobial Agents & Chemotherapy 2014;58(1):120-7. PMID: 24145548. PMCID: PMC3910741.
  7. Hamorsky KT, Kouokam JC, Bennett LJ, Baldauf KJ, Kajiura H, Fujiyama K, Matoba N.  Rapid and scalable plant-based production of a cholera toxin B subunit variant to aid in mass vaccination against cholera outbreaks.  PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2013;7(3):e2046. PMID: 23505583. PMCID: PMC3591335.
  8. Kouokam JC, Huskens D, Schols D, Johannemann A, Riedell SK, Walter W, Walker JM, Matoba N, O'Keefe BR, Palmer KE.  Investigation of griffithsin's interactions with human cells confirms its outstanding safety and efficacy profile as a microbicide candidate.  PloS One 2011;6(8):e22635. PMID: 21829638. PMCID: 3149051.
  9. Kouokam JC, Palmer KE.  Plant-expressed Griffithsin: a protein with potent broad spectrum inhibitory effects against enveloped viruses.  Medicinal Plant Biotechnology. Arora R, editor. UK: CABI; 2010; pp. 334-45.
  10. Palmer KE, Jenson AB, Kouokam JC, Lasnik AB, Ghim SJ.  Recombinant vaccines for the prevention of human papillomavirus infection and cervical cancer.  Experimental and Molecular Pathology 2009 Jun;86(3):224-33. PMID: 19454268.
  11. Santic M, Akimana C, Asare R, Kouokam JC, Atay S, Kwaik YA.  Intracellular fate of Francisella tularensis within arthropod-derived cells.  Environmental Microbiology 2009 Jun;11(6):1473-81. PMID: 19220402.
  12. Kouokam JC, Wai SN, Fällman M, Dobrindt U, Hacker J, Uhlin BE.  Active cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 associated with outer membrane vesicles from uropathogenic Escherichia coli.  Infection and Immunity 2006 Apr;74(4):2022-30. PMID: 16552031. PMCID: PMC1418910.
  13. Kouokam JC, Wai SN.  Outer membrane vesicle-mediated export of a pore-forming cytotoxin from Escherichia coli.  Toxin Reviews 2006;25(1):31-36. doi: 10.1080/15569540500320888.
  14. Kouokam JC, Jahns T, Becker H.  Antimicrobial activity of the essential oil and some isolated sulfur-rich compounds from Scorodophloeus zenkeri.  Planta Medica 2002 Dec;68(12):1082-7. PMID: 12494334.
  15. Kouokam JC, Zapp J, Becker H.  Oxygen-containing sulfur-rich compounds from the bark of the tropical garlic tree Scorodophloeus zenkeri Harms.  Phytochemistry 2002 Jun;60(4):403-7. PMID: 12031433.
  16. Kouokam JC, Zapp J, Becker H.  Isolation of new alkylthiosulfides from the essential oil and extracts from the bark of Scorodophloeus zenkeri Harms.  Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung C, Journal of Biosciences 2001 Nov-Dec;56(11-12):1003-7. PMID: 11837651.

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