Research Interests

I study the evolution of infectious disease using the techniques of molecular phylogenetics and population genetics. In particular, I develop and apply computational techniques to study how antigenic proteins on the surfaces of pathogens evolve in response to host immune defenses. My research currently focuses on two pathogens: the influenza virus, which with subsequent pneumonia is the sixth leading cause of death in the US, and the bacteria Chlamydia, which is the major cause of human blindness and venereal disease. Most of my efforts constitute basic research: I develop and test hypotheses about evolutionary processes. However, I also collaborate with scientists at public health agencies such as the CDC in applying my results to current efforts in disease surveillance, prediction and vaccine development.

Degrees

Honors and Awards

Current Graduate Students

Current Post-docs

Recent Courses Taught

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Recent Papers

Bush, R.M., W.M. Fitch, C.A. Bender and N.J. Cox. 1999. Positive Selection on the H3 Hemagglutinin gene of Human Influenza Virus A. Molecular Biology and Evolution 16:1457-1465

Bush, R. M., C.A. Bender, K. Subbaro, N.J. Cox and W.M. Fitch. 1999. Predicting the Evolution of Influenza A. Science 286:1921-1925.

Bush, R.M., C.B. Smith, N.J. Cox and W.M. Fitch. 2000. Effects of passage history and sampling bias on phylogenetic reconstruction of human influenza A evolution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U.S.A. 97: 6974-6980.

Bush, R.M. and K.D.E. Everett. 2001 Molecular evolution of the Chlamyidaceae. International Journal of Systematic Evolution and Microbiology 51:203-220.

Bush, R.M., W.M. Fitch, C.B. Smith and N.J. Cox. 2001. Predicting influenza evolution: the impact of terminal and egg-adapted mutations. pp. 147-153 In: Options for the Control of Influenza IV. A.D.M.E. Osterhaus, N. Cox and A.W. Hampson (eds.) Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam.

Rodríguez-Marañón, M.J., Bush, R.M. Peterson, E.M. Schirmer, T. and L. de la Maza. 2002. Prediction of the membrane-spanning -strands of the major outer membrane protein of Chlamydia. Protein Science 11:1854-1861.

Ferguson, N.M., A.P. Galvani and R.M. Bush. 2003. Ecological and
immunological determinants of influenza evolution. Nature 422:428-433.