Elissa Schwartz

Biography

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Research Interests

My research investigates mechanisms in virology, immunology, and infectious disease epidemiology. We use quantitative methods and computer modeling in conjunction with data in order to predict unforeseen biological mechanisms, to determine biologically important rate parameters, and to evaluate pathogenic mechanisms that are difficult to test directly. Our interdisciplinary approach aims to advance our basic understanding of disease mechanisms and to lead to new therapeutic strategies.

Currently we are examining the control of lentiviral infection, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). We use mathematical and computational models of viral dynamics with clinical and experimental data to elucidate the determinants of virus control and escape. Our long-term goal is to uncover fundamental viral or immune mechanisms and to develop effective vaccine strategies.

Education

• Visiting Assistant Professor, Mathematics, Harvey Mudd College
• Postdoc, Biomathematics and Biostatistics, UCLA
• PhD, Biomedical Sciences, Mount Sinai-NYU
• BA, Mathematics, UC Berkeley

Publications

• Hewage IM, Church KEM, Schwartz EJ. (2024) Investigating the impact of vaccine hesitancy on an emerging infectious disease: a mathematical and numerical analysis. Journal of Biological Dynamics, 18:1. [link to Investigating the impact of vaccine hesitancy on an emerging infectious disease: a mathematical and numerical analysis. (opens in a new tab)]
• Tchoumi SY, Schwartz EJ, Tchuenche JM. (2024) A deterministic model of COVID-19 with differential infectivity and vaccination booster. Decision Analytics Journal, 10:100374. [link to A deterministic model of COVID-19 with differential infectivity and vaccination booster. (opens in a new tab)]
• Bailes CL, Biggs KRH, Scott L, Wichman HA, Schwartz EJ. (2023) Genetic and functional basis of the reduction effect in bacteriophage ΦX174. Virology 588:109905. [link to Genetic and functional basis of the reduction effect in bacteriophage ΦX174. (opens in a new tab)]
• Hull-Nye D, Meadows T, Smith? SR, Schwartz EJ. (2023) Key factors and parameter ranges for immune control of equine infectious anemia virus infection. Viruses 15:691. [link to Key factors and parameter ranges for immune control of equine infectious anemia virus infection. (opens in a new tab)]
• Meadows T, Schwartz EJ. (2023) A model of virus infection with immune responses supports boosting CTL response to balance antibody response. In Computational and Mathematical Population Dynamics; Tuncer N, Martcheva M, Prosper O, Childs L, Eds.; World Scientific Publishing Europe Ltd.: London UK, 4:145-168. [arxiv link to this publication (pdf). (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Costris-Vas C, Smith? SR. (2021) Modelling mutation in equine infectious anemia virus infection suggests a path to viral clearance with repeated vaccination. Viruses 13(12):2450. [link to Modelling mutation in equine infectious anemia virus infection suggests a path to viral clearance with repeated vaccination. (opens in a new tab)]
• Johnson SS, Jackson KC, Mietchen MS, Sbai S, Schwartz EJ, Lofgren ET. (2021) Excess risk of COVID-19 to university populations resulting from in-person sporting events. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18(16):8260. [link to Excess risk of COVID-19 to university populations resulting from in-person sporting events. (opens in a new tab)]
• Biggs KRH, Bailes CL, Scott L, Wichman HA, Schwartz EJ. (2021) Ecological approach to understanding superinfection inhibition in bacteriophage. Viruses 13(7):1389. [link to Ecological approach to understanding superinfection inhibition in bacteriophage. (opens in a new tab)]
• Gudaz H, Ogu HA, Schwartz EJ. (2020) Long-term dynamics of the kidney disease epidemic among HIV-infected individuals. Spora 6(1):52-60. [link to Long-term dynamics of the kidney disease epidemic among HIV-infected individuals. (opens in a new tab)]
• Costris-Vas C, Schwartz EJ, Smith? R. (2020) Predicting COVID-19 using past pandemics as a guide: how reliable were mathematical models then, and how reliable will they be now? Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering 17(6):7502-7518. [link to Predicting COVID-19 using past pandemics as a guide: how reliable were mathematical models then, and how reliable will they be now? (opens in a new tab)]
• Hull-Nye D, Malik B, Keshavamurthy R, Schwartz EJ. (2020) Transient dynamics of the kidney disease epidemic among HIV-infected individuals. Mathematics in Applied Sciences and Engineering 1(4):371-380. [link to Transient dynamics of the kidney disease epidemic among HIV-infected individuals. (opens in a new tab)]
• Cangelosi RA, Schwartz EJ, Wollkind DW. (2018) A quasi-steady-state approximation to the basic viral dynamics model with a non-cytopathic effect. Frontiers in Microbiology 9:54. [link to A quasi-steady-state approximation to the basic viral dynamics model with a non-cytopathic effect. (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Vaidya NK, Dorman K, Carpenter S, Mealey RH. (2018) Dynamics of lentiviral infection in vivo in the absence of adaptive host immune responses. Virology 513:108-113. [link to Dynamics of lentiviral infection in vivo in the absence of adaptive host immune responses. (opens in a new tab)]
• Pawelek KA, Tobin S, Griffin C, Ochocinski D, Schwartz EJ, Del Valle S. (2017) Impact of an imperfect vaccine and altered behavior on the spread of influenza. AIMS Medical Science 4(2):217-232. [link to Impact of an imperfect vaccine and altered behavior on the spread of influenza. (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Biggs KRH, Bailes C, Ferolito KA, Vaidya NK. (2016) HIV dynamics with immune responses: Perspectives from mathematical modeling. Current Clinical Microbiology Reports 3:216-224. [link to HIV dynamics with immune responses: Perspectives from mathematical modeling. (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Choi B, Rempala GA. (2015) Estimating epidemic parameters: Application to H1N1 pandemic data. Mathematical Biosciences 270(Pt B):198-203. [link to Estimating epidemic parameters: Application to H1N1 pandemic data. (opens in a new tab)]
• Allen LJS, Schwartz EJ. (2015) Free-virus and cell-to-cell transmission in models of equine infectious anemia virus. Mathematical Biosciences 270(Pt B):237-48. [link to Free-virus and cell-to-cell transmission in models of equine infectious anemia virus. (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Nanda S, Mealey RH. (2015) Antibody escape kinetics of EIAV infection of horses. Journal of Virology 89(13):6945-51. [link to Antibody escape kinetics of EIAV infection of horses. (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Morgan M, Lapin S. (2015) Pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza in two settings in a small community: the workplace and the university campus. Epidemiology & Infection 143:1606-9. [link to Pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza in two settings in a small community: the workplace and the university campus. (opens in a new tab)]
• Vaidya NK, Morgan M, Jones T, Miller L, Lapin S, Schwartz EJ. (2015) Modelling the epidemic spread of an H1N1 influenza outbreak in a rural university town. Epidemiology & Infection 143:1610-20. [link to Modelling the epidemic spread of an H1N1 influenza outbreak in a rural university town. (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Smith? RJ. (2014) Identifying the conditions under which antibodies protect against infection by equine Infectious anemia virus. Vaccines 2:397-421. [link to Identifying the conditions under which antibodies protect against infection by equine Infectious anemia virus. (opens in a new tab)]
• Ciupe SM, Schwartz EJ. (2014) Understanding virus-host dynamics following EIAV infection in SCID horses. J. Theoretical Biology 343:1-8. [link to Understanding virus-host dynamics following EIAV infection in SCID horses. (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Yang OO, Cumberland WG, de Pillis LG. (2013) Computational model of HIV-1 escape from the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response. Canadian Applied Mathematics Quarterly 21(2):261-279. [link to Computational model of HIV-1 escape from the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response. (opens in a new tab)]
• Miller L, Jones T, Morgan M, Lapin S, Schwartz EJ. (2013) Individual-based computational model used to explain 2009 pandemic H1N1 in rural campus community. J. Biological Systems 21(4):134005. [link to Individual-based computational model used to explain 2009 pandemic H1N1 in rural campus community. (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Pawelek KA, Harrington K, Cangelosi R, Madrid S. (2013) Immune control of equine infectious anemia virus infection by cell-mediated and humoral responses. Applied Mathematics 4:171-177. [link to Immune control of equine infectious anemia virus infection by cell-mediated and humoral responses. (opens in a new tab)]
• Mushayabasa S, Bhunu CP, Schwartz EJ, Magombedze G, Tchuenche JM. (2011) Socio-economic status and HIV/AIDS dynamics: a modeling approach. World Journal of Modeling and Simulation 7(4):243-57. [link to Socio-economic status and HIV/AIDS dynamics: a modeling approach. (opens in a new tab)]
• Snedecor SJ, Strutton D, Ciuryla V, Schwartz EJ, Botteman M. (2009) Transmission-dynamic model to capture the indirect effects of infant vaccination with Prevnar (7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7)) in older populations. Vaccine 27(34):4694-703. [link to Transmission-dynamic model to capture the indirect effects of infant vaccination with Prevnar (7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7)) in older populations. (opens in a new tab)]
• Anton PA, Ibarrondo FJ, BoscardinWJ, Zhou Y, Schwartz EJ, Ng HL, Hausner MA, Shih R, Elliott J, Hultin PM, Hultin LE, Price C, Fuerst M, Adler A, Wong JT, Yang OO, and Jamieson BD. (2008) Differential Immunogenicity of Vaccinia and HIV-1 Components of a Recombinant Vaccine in Mucosal and Blood Compartments. Vaccine 26:4617-4623. [link to Differential Immunogenicity of Vaccinia and HIV-1 Components of a Recombinant Vaccine in Mucosal and Blood Compartments. (opens in a new tab)]
• Smith RJ, Schwartz EJ. (2008) Predicting the potential impact of a cytotoxic T lymphocyte HIV vaccine: how often should you vaccinate and how strong should the vaccine be? Mathematical Biosciences 212:180-187. [link to Predicting the potential impact of a cytotoxic T lymphocyte HIV vaccine: how often should you vaccinate and how strong should the vaccine be? (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Bodine EN, Blower S. (2007) Effectiveness and Efficiency of Imperfect Therapeutic HSV-2 Vaccines. Human Vaccines 3(6):231-238. [link to Effectiveness and Efficiency of Imperfect Therapeutic HSV-2 Vaccines. (opens in a new tab)]
• Breban R, McGowan I, Topaz C, Schwartz EJ, Anton P, Blower S. (2006) Modeling the Potential Impact of Rectal Microbicides to Reduce HIV transmission in Bathhouses. Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering 3(3):459-66. [link to Modeling the Potential Impact of Rectal Microbicides to Reduce HIV transmission in Bathhouses. (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Szczech LA, Ross MJ, Klotman ME, Winston JA, Klotman PE. (2005) Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy and the Epidemic of HIV+ End-Stage Renal Disease. Journal of American Society of Nephrology 16(8):2412-20. [link to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy and the Epidemic of HIV+ End-Stage Renal Disease. (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Blower S. (2005) Predicting the Potential Individual- and Population-Level Effects of Imperfect Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Vaccines. Journal of Infectious Diseases 191(10):1734-46. [link to Predicting the Potential Individual- and Population-Level Effects of Imperfect Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Vaccines. (opens in a new tab)]
• Blower SM, Schwartz EJ, Mills J. (2003) Forecasting the future of HIV epidemics: the impact of antiretroviral therapies and imperfect vaccines. AIDS Reviews 5(2):113-125. [link to Forecasting the future of HIV epidemics: the impact of antiretroviral therapies and imperfect vaccines. (opens in a new tab)]
• Sunamoto M, Husain M, He JC, Schwartz EJ, Klotman PE. (2003) Critical Role for Nef in HIV-1-induced podocyte dedifferentiation. Kidney International 64(5):1695-1701. [link to Critical Role for Nef in HIV-1-induced podocyte dedifferentiation. (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Fierer DS, Neumann AU, Keller MJ, Parkas V, Klotman ME, Winston JA, Klotman PE. (2002) HIV-1 Dynamics in Hemodialysis Patients. AIDS 16(9):1301-1303. [link to HIV-1 Dynamics in Hemodialysis Patients. (opens in a new tab)]
• Husain M, Gusella GL, Klotman ME, Gelman IH, Ross MD, Schwartz EJ, Cara A, Klotman PE. (2002) HIV-1 Nef induces proliferation and anchorage-independent growth in podocytes. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 13(7):1806-15. [link to HIV-1 Nef induces proliferation and anchorage-independent growth in podocytes. (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Neumann AU, Teixeira AV, Bruggeman LA, Rappaport J, Perelson AS, Klotman PE. (2002) Effect of Target Cell Availability on HIV-1 Production in Vitro. AIDS 16(3):341-345. [link to Effect of Target Cell Availability on HIV-1 Production in Vitro. (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Cara A, Snoeck H, Ross MD, Sunamoto M, Reiser J, Mundel P, Klotman PE. (2001) HIV-1 Induces Loss of Contact Inhibition in Podocytes. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 12(8):1677-84. [link to HIV-1 Induces Loss of Contact Inhibition in Podocytes. (opens in a new tab)]
• Schwartz EJ, Klotman PE. (1998) Pathogenesis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Associated Nephropathy. Seminars in Nephrology 18(4):436-445. [link to Pathogenesis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Associated Nephropathy. (opens in a new tab)]
• Rappaport J, Cho Y-Y, Hendel H, Schwartz EJ, Schachter F, Zagury J-F. (1997) 32 BP CCR-5 Gene Deletion and Resistance to Fast Progression in HIV-1 Infected Heterozygotes. The Lancet 349:922. [link to 32 BP CCR-5 Gene Deletion and Resistance to Fast Progression in HIV-1 Infected Heterozygotes. (opens in a new tab)]
• Morgello S, Uson RR, Schwartz EJ, Haber RS. (1995) The Human Blood-Brain Barrier Glucose Transporter (GLUT1) is a Glucose Transporter of Gray Matter Astrocytes. Glia 14:43-54. [link to The Human Blood-Brain Barrier Glucose Transporter (GLUT1) is a Glucose Transporter of Gray Matter Astrocytes. (opens in a new tab)]