David Evans

Area of Study / Keywords

oncolytic virus research translation bladder cancer pre-clinical animal models vaccinia virus recombination replication fluorescence imaging synthetic biology poxviruses synthetic biology SARS-CoV-2

About

Dr. David Evans is a virologist with diverse interests in poxvirus biology as well as a former research administrator. His work is supported by a network of collaborations and commercial contracts and his academic studies have been funded by MRC/CIHR since 1990. Dr. Evans is considered an international leader in the study of poxviruses with special expertise in virus recombination, antiviral drugs, and replication.

Dr. Evans has also demonstrated a longstanding commitment to research translation. His recombineering technology is licensed as InFusion� kits. More recently his research has focussed on developing oncolytic viruses for treating bladder cancer as well as methods for assembling synthetic poxviruses. Some of these technologies have been applied in a new project to develop a poxvirus-based Covid-19 vaccine. He has applied for, or holds, international patents relating to these and other technologies.

Dr. Evans’ activities have also helped develop the University of Alberta’s focus on virus research. In 2006 he was awarded $24.9 million to build and equip new research facilities supporting immunology and infectious disease research in Edmonton and Calgary. This included Alberta’s only academic BSL3 laboratory which has recently proven itself invaluable for conducting Covid-19 research. In 2010 the University of Alberta was gifted with $25 million to support virus research, and these and other projects were consolidated to create the Li Ka-Shing Institute of Virology. Drs. Evans has also accumulated many years of service on grant panels; reviews and also consults privately. He was a longstanding member of the WHO smallpox advisory committee. Most recently he conducted site visits for the FAO/OIE and served on the Canadian advisory committee on human pathogens and toxins.

Teaching

IMIN 324 Introductory Virology

MMI 391 Current Methods in Molecular Biology