{"id":{"repo_id":"mit","oai_identifier":"oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/122421"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/mit/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/122421","repository":{"repo_id":"mit","name":"MIT","base_url":"https://dspace.mit.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Developing VHH-based tools to study Ebolavirus infection","abstract":"Variable domains of camelid-derived heavy chain-only antibodies, or VHHs, have emerged as a unique antigen binding moiety that holds promise in its versatility and utilization as a tool to study biological questions. This thesis focuses on two aspects on developing tools to study infectious disease, specifically Ebolavirus entry. In Chapter 1, I provide an overview about antibodies and how antibodies have transformed the biomedical field and how single domain antibody fragments, or VHHs, have entered this arena. I will also touch upon how VHHs have been used in various fields and certain aspects that remain underexplored. Chapter 2 focuses on the utilization of VHHs to study Ebolavirus entry using VHHs that were isolated from alpacas. Two VHHs were found to neutralize Ebolavirus in both Biosafety Level 2 and 4 laboratory conditions. Ongoing experiments to address mechanism focuses on two aspects of neutralization: Cathepsin inhibition or NPC1-mediated inhibition. Finally, Chapter 3 discusses the overall landscape for Ebolavirus therapeutics and will discuss future directions of this work.","abstract_html":"Variable domains of camelid-derived heavy chain-only antibodies, or VHHs, have emerged as a unique antigen binding moiety that holds promise in its versatility and utilization as a tool to study biological questions. This thesis focuses on two aspects on developing tools to study infectious disease, specifically Ebolavirus entry. In Chapter 1, I provide an overview about antibodies and how antibodies have transformed the biomedical field and how single domain antibody fragments, or VHHs, have entered this arena. I will also touch upon how VHHs have been used in various fields and certain aspects that remain underexplored. Chapter 2 focuses on the utilization of VHHs to study Ebolavirus entry using VHHs that were isolated from alpacas. Two VHHs were found to neutralize Ebolavirus in both Biosafety Level 2 and 4 laboratory conditions. Ongoing experiments to address mechanism focuses on two aspects of neutralization: Cathepsin inhibition or NPC1-mediated inhibition. Finally, Chapter 3 discusses the overall landscape for Ebolavirus therapeutics and will discuss future directions of this work.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Nguyen, Jason V. M. H.(Jason Vu Minh Hien)"],"institution":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology","degree_name":"Doctoral","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biology","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Hidde L. Ploegh."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2019,"date_issued":"2019","date_published":"2019","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:22:07Z","subjects":["Biology."],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["MIT theses are protected by copyright. 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This thesis focuses on two aspects on developing tools to study infectious disease, specifically Ebolavirus entry. In Chapter 1, I provide an overview about antibodies and how antibodies have transformed the biomedical field and how single domain antibody fragments, or VHHs, have entered this arena. I will also touch upon how VHHs have been used in various fields and certain aspects that remain underexplored. Chapter 2 focuses on the utilization of VHHs to study Ebolavirus entry using VHHs that were isolated from alpacas. Two VHHs were found to neutralize Ebolavirus in both Biosafety Level 2 and 4 laboratory conditions. Ongoing experiments to address mechanism focuses on two aspects of neutralization: Cathepsin inhibition or NPC1-mediated inhibition. Finally, Chapter 3 discusses the overall landscape for Ebolavirus therapeutics and will discuss future directions of this work."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Ph. D."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Developing VHH-based tools to study Ebolavirus infection"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Hidde L. Ploegh."],"dc:contributor.department":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biology","Bio"],"dc:contributor.other":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biology."],"dc:creator":["Nguyen, Jason V. M. H.(Jason Vu Minh Hien)"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2019-10-04T21:33:38Z"],"dc:date.available":["2019-10-04T21:33:38Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2019"],"dc:description":["Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Biology, 2019","Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.","Includes bibliographical references."],"dc:description.abstract":["Variable domains of camelid-derived heavy chain-only antibodies, or VHHs, have emerged as a unique antigen binding moiety that holds promise in its versatility and utilization as a tool to study biological questions. 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