Scientist, Chronic Disease, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Specialist Div of Infectious Diseases, Ottawa Hospital 2004 - present
Assistant Professor University of Ottawa, Department of Medicine 2004 – present
Scientist Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, HIV Research 2003 – present
Biographical Sketch:
Dr MacPherson obtained his PhD in molecular biology from the University of California at Berkeley in 1991. Throughout his graduate studies he was supported by a 1967 Centennial Scholarship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Following his postdoctoral studies in Neuroscience at the University of Ottawa , Dr MacPherson began his clinical training and obtained his MD from McMaster University in 1998. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Toronto and then undertook further subspecialty training in infectious diseases at the University of Ottawa . He is now an Assistant Professor of Medicine and a specialist in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Ottawa Hospital General Campus. His major interests lie in the areas of patient care with a clinical practise primarily dedicated to those with HIV infection, in teaching, in health issues as related to the GLBT community, and in basic research. In 2003, Dr MacPherson joined the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute as a Staff Scientist directing a research initiative focused on understanding how HIV disables the immune system. He and his research team have shown a decrease in the expression of the IL-7 receptor on CD8 T-cells in HIV+ patients, and an apparent recovery of this receptor in those receiving antiretroviral therapy with sustained viral suppression. Since IL-7 is essential for optimal CD8 T-cell proliferation and function, this down regulation of the IL-7 receptor may well be responsible for impaired cell mediated immunity and ineffective immunologic control of viral replication in HIV+ patients with progressive disease. Dr MacPherson's work is supported by grants from CIHR, CanFAR, the J.P. Bickell Foundation for Medical Research and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation.
Research Interests:
• Effects of the HIV Tat protein on IL-7 receptor expression on CD8 T-cells
• Terminal differentiation of CD8 T-cells in HIV infected patients
• IL-7 receptor expression in HIV+ patients with slow or nonprogressive disease
• Transcriptional regulation of the IL-7 receptor in CD8 T-cells
Major Research Activities:
Interleukin-7 Receptor Expression and Function on CD8 T-Cells during HIV Infection and its Role in Modulating CTL Activity.
Principle Investigator: Paul MacPherson
Technician: Elliott Faller MSc
Technician: Mark McVey MSc
Junior Technician: Juzer Kakal BSc
Professional Associations
• Canadian Medical Association: 1997-present • Ontario Medical Association: 1997-present
• Canadian Association of HIV Researchers: 2000-present
• Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada : 2002-present
• Canadian Rainbow Health Coalition: 2004-present
General Campus
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