Department of Internal Medicine
Allergy-Immunology Faculty
Zuhair K. Ballas, M.D.
Professor
Director, Division of Allergy-Immunology
Dr. Ballas' clinical interests place major emphasis on the evaluation of primary immunodeficiency. In particular, he examines patients with possible abnormalities in distinct components of the immune system such as NK cells, CD8, CD4 or B lymphocytes as well as neutrophil deficiency. He is also interested in patients with impaired wound healing. Other clinical interests include allergic problems, drug reactions in particular, and the clinical use of biological response modifiers. Dr. Ballas' research examines the role of lymphokines in cell-mediated immune responses and transplantation, the role of killer cells in tumor immunity and modulation and regulation of in vivo immune responses with particular emphasis on allografts and tumor. The research focus is placed on the role of NK cells in health and disease. This topic is explored in bench research endeavors, in translational research and in clinical research. Current research projects are as follows: 1) Augmentation of NK cell activity by CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) and their use in tumor immunotherapy; 2) NK cell activity in alcoholism; 3) Role of NK cells in asthma; and 4) Clinical spectrum of patients with NK cell deficiency. Dr. Ballas is also involved in examining the therapeutic potential of DNA vaccines in asthma.
Dr. Ballas established and directs the Cellular Immunology Diagnostic lab. This lab offers state-of-the-art examination of cellular immunity. He is the director of the Flow Cytometry Facility which is a fee-for-service core facility. Dr. Ballas is also a member of the Interdisciplinary Immunology Graduate Program.
Dr. Ballas also runs the Adult Immune Disorders Clinic. |
Medical School:
American University of Beirut
Residency:
American University of Beirut
Rutgers Medical School
Thomas Jefferson University
Fellowship:
Johns Hopkins University
Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center,
University of Washington
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Honors, Awards, and Organizations
- Alpha Omega Alpha
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, Fellow
- American Association of Immunologists
- Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine, Board of Allergy and Immunology, and Board of Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology
- American College of Physicians, Fellow
- American Society for Clinical Investigation
- Central Society for Clinical Research
- Society of Natural Immunity
- Clinical Immunology Society
- Clinical Investigator Career Awardee, Research Associate Career Awardee
Recent Publications
- Orange, J.S., Brodeur, S.R., Jain, A., Bonilla, F.A., Schneider, L.C., kretschmer, R., Nurko, S., Rasmussen, W.L., Kohler, J.R., Gellis, S.E., Ferguson, B.M., Strominger, J.L., Zonana, J., Ramesh, N., Ballas, Z.K., and Geha, R.S.: Deficient Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxicity in Patients with IKK-gamma/NEMO Mutations. J. Clin. Invest. 109:1501-1509, 2002.
- Brown, H.C., and Ballas, Z.K.: Acute Thromboembolic Events Associated with Intravenous Immunoglobulin Infusion in Antibody-Deficient Patients. J Allergy Clin Immunol 112:797-799, 2003.
- Lenert, P., Rasmussen, W., Ashman, R.B., and Ballas Z.K.: Structural Characterization of the Inhibitory DNA Motif for the Type A (D)-CpG-Induced Cytokine Secretion and NK-Cell Lytic Activity in Mouse Spleen Cells. DNA and Cell Biology 22:621-631, 2003.
- Zhu, X., Coleman, R.A., Alber, C., Ballas, Z.K., Waldschmidt, T.J., Ray, N.B., Krieg, A.M., and Cook, R.T.: Chronic Ethanol Ingestion by Mice Increases Expression of CD80 and CD86 by Activated Macrophages. Alcohol 32:91-100, 2004.
- Orange, J.S., Jain, A., Ballas, Z.K., Schneider, L.C., Geha, R.S., and Bonilla, F.A.: The Presentation and Natural History of Immunodeficiency Caused by Nuclear Factor k B Essential Modulator Mutation. J Allergy Clin Immunol 113:725-733, 2004.
Links of Interest
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