Kenneth Witwer

Witwer's PhD dissertation research was on retroviruses and innate immune system responses to pathogens such as Visna virus and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) as models of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, specifically regulation of microRNAs, cytokines, and the promyelocytic leukemia protein (TRIM19). He then completed a postdoctoral research project on miRNAs as biomarkers of HIV disease.{{cite web |url=https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/results/directory/profile/4147826/kenneth-witwer |title=Kenneth W. Witwer |publisher=Johns Hopkins Medicine |access-date=27 September 2019 }} In 2011, Witwer joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins, and he assumed a tenure-track position in 2012. His primary appointment is in the Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology. He has a secondary appointment in Neurology and Neurosurgery. He is a member of the Cellular and Molecular Medicine program and the Richman Family Precision Medicine Center of Excellence in Alzheimer’s Disease at Johns Hopkins.{{cite web |url=https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/inhealth/precision-medicine-centers/alzheimers/ |title=The Richman Family Precision Medicine Center of Excellence in Alzheimer's Disease |publisher=Johns Hopkins Medicine |access-date=23 April 2021 }}{{cite book |vauthors=Avramopoulos D, Kapogiannis D, Leoutsakos JM |title=GeNeDis 2020 |chapter=Developing Treatments for Alzheimer's and Related Disorders with Precision Medicine: A Vision |series=Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology |display-authors=etal |volume= 1339|pages= 395–402|date=2021 |pmid=35023131 |pmc= 9358929|doi=10.1007/978-3-030-78787-5_49|isbn=978-3-030-78786-8 |s2cid=245907562 }}

The Witwer laboratory studies the roles of EVs, exRNA, and ncRNA in HIV disease of the central nervous system and in other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.{{cite web |url=https://www.michaeljfox.org/researcher/kenneth-w-witwer-phd |title=Funded Studies: Kenneth W. Witwer, PhD |publisher=Michael J. Fox Foundation }} Another focus of the group is on how inflammatory insults like cigarette smoking affect progression of disease.{{cite web |url=https://www.witwerlab.com |title=Kenneth W. Witwer Laboratory |publisher=Kenneth W. Witwer |access-date=27 September 2017 }}{{cite journal |vauthors=Russell AE, Liao Z, Tkach M |display-authors=etal |title=Cigarette smoke-induced extracellular vesicles from dendritic cells alter T-cell activation and HIV replication |journal=Toxicology Letters |volume= 360|issue= |pages= 33–43|date=2022 |pmid=35181468 |pmc= 9014967|doi=10.1016/j.toxlet.2022.02.004|s2cid=246916421 }} Beginning in 2013, Witwer examined the hypothesis that RNAs such as miRNAs in dietary substances could regulate endogenous genes in mammals. These studies led him and others to the conclusion that this type of regulation is unlikely to occur in normal physiology.{{cite journal |last=Kupferschmidt |first=Kai |date=16 August 2013 |title=A lethal dose of RNA |journal=Science |volume=341 |issue=6147 |pages=732–733 |doi=10.1126/science.341.6147.732 |pmid=23950525 |doi-access=free }}{{cite web |url=https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-12/documents/rnai_sap_sept_2016_final_minutes.pdf |title=Meeting Minute of the September 27-28, 2016 FIFRA SAP |publisher=US Environmental Protection Agency |access-date=27 September 2019 }}{{cite journal |vauthors=Witwer KW, Zhang CY |title=Diet-derived microRNAs: unicorn or silver bullet? |journal=Genes & Nutrition |volume=12 |pages=15 |date=2017 |pmid=28694875 |pmc=5501113 |doi=10.1186/s12263-017-0564-4 |doi-access=free }} He subsequently served on two Scientific Advisory Panels of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and addressed the European Food Safety Authority on related questions of environmental exposure to RNA.

Witwer chaired the organizing committee of the ISEV2015 annual meeting (Bethesda, United States).{{cite web |url=http://www.bioquicknews.com/node/2592 |title=NIH Director Francis Collins & 2013 Nobelist James Rothman Kick Off 2015 Annual International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) Meeting in Washington, DC |last=O'Neill |first=Mike |date=23 April 2015 |website=BioQuick News |publisher=Mike O'Neill |access-date=27 September 2019 }} He has since filled several leadership roles with ISEV and become President of the society in 2024.{{cite web |url=https://www.isev.org/call-for-mal-applications |title=Nominations |publisher=International Society for Extracellular Vesicles |access-date=5 March 2022 }} Witwer has organized or co-organized workshops and other meetings on five continents.{{cite web |url=https://www.isev.org/page/ExecutiveBoard |title=Executive Board |publisher=International Society for Extracellular Vesicles |access-date=27 September 2019 }} Responding in 2020 to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, Witwer converted a monthly journal club at Johns Hopkins into a weekly worldwide virtual event known as "Extracellular Vesicle Club." The club became an official ISEV feature in 2021.{{cite web |url=https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_new_jersey/international-society-for-extracellular-vesicles-launches-ev-club/article_3db559a2-ffe4-50c5-a164-6aaacdaecfee.html |title=International Society for Extracellular Vesicles Launches EV Club |date=20 April 2021 |publisher=WFMZ-TV News Allentown |access-date=22 April 2021 }} He is co-Chair with Paul Robbins of the 2022 Gordon Research Conference on EVs.{{cite web |url=https://www.grc.org/extracellular-vesicles-conference/2022/ |title=Extracellular Vesicles: Gordon Research Conference |publisher=Gordon Research Conferences |access-date=23 April 2021 }} Witwer is an associate editor of the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles and a member of the editorial boards of Clinical Chemistry and AIDS.{{cite web |url=https://journals.lww.com/aidsonline/Pages/editorialboard.aspx |title=AIDS Editorial Board |access-date=1 July 2020 }} He was instrumental in the founding of a second ISEV journal, the Journal of Extracellular Biology.{{cite journal |vauthors=Hill AF, Sahoo S |title=Launching the Journal of Extracellular Biology (J Ex Bio) – A new journal from the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) |journal=Journal of Extracellular Biology |volume= 1|issue= 1|pages= e19|date=2022 |pmid= 38938685|pmc=11080626 |doi=10.1002/jex2.19|s2cid=247483494 |doi-access=free}}

Witwer has contributed to scientific standardization and rigor efforts. He was corresponding author in 2013 of the first position paper of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles, on standardization of isolation and characterization of EVs in RNA studies.{{cite journal |vauthors=Witwer KW, Buzás EI, Bemis LT, Bora A, Lässer C, Lötvall J, Nolte-'t Hoen EN, Piper MG, Sivaraman S, Skog J, Théry C, Wauben MH, Hochberg F |title=Standardization of sample collection, isolation and analysis methods in extracellular vesicle research |journal=J. Extracell. Vesicles |volume=2 |pages=20360 |date=2013 |pmid=24009894 |pmc=3760646 |doi=10.3402/jev.v2i0.20360}} With Clotilde Théry, he coordinated the Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles (MISEV2018), a consensus guidelines document for the EV field.{{cite journal |vauthors=Théry C, Witwer KW, Aikawa E |display-authors=etal |title=Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles 2018 (MISEV2018): a position statement of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles and update of the MISEV2014 guidelines |journal=J. Extracell. Vesicles |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=1535750 |date=2018 |pmid=30637094 |pmc=6322352 |doi=10.1080/20013078.2018.1535750}} An opponent of AIDS denialism, a largely defunct movement that denied the existence of HIV or its role in causing AIDS,{{cite web |title=Frontiers lets HIV denial article stand, reclassifies it as "opinion" |author=Cat Ferguson |website=Retraction Watch |date=24 February 2015 |url=https://retractionwatch.com/2015/02/24/frontiers-lets-hiv-denier-article-stand-reclassifies-it-as-opinion/}}{{cite web |url=https://www.thebodypro.com/article/why-frontiers-must-retract-hivaids-denialist-paper |title=Why Frontiers Must Retract HIV/AIDS Denialist Paper |last=Witwer |first=Kenneth |date=26 March 2015 |website=The Body Pro }} he has encouraged high standards in scientific publishing, critiquing predatory publishing and other publishing practices.{{cite news |title=Why Beall's List Died – and What It Left Unresolved About Open Access |author=Paul Basken |newspaper=The Chronicle of Higher Education |date=12 September 2017 |url=http://www.chronicle.com/article/Why-Beall-s-List-Died-/241171}}Jocelyn Kaiser, [https://www.science.org/content/article/us-government-accuses-open-access-publisher-trademark-infringement "ScienceInsider: U.S. Government Accuses Open Access Publisher of Trademark Infringement"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510131448/http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2013/05/government-accuses-open-access-p.html |date=2013-05-10 }}, Science, 9 May 2013{{cite web |title=Instead of retracting a flawed study, a journal let authors re-do it. It got retracted anyway |author=Andrew P. Han |website=Retraction Watch |date=23 June 2017 |url=https://retractionwatch.com/2017/06/23/instead-retracting-flawed-study-journal-let-authors-re-got-retracted-anyway/}} He has advocated public availability of scientific data.{{cite web |title=Study finds many authors aren't sharing data when they publish — and leads to a PLOS ONE retraction |author=Ivan Oransky |website=Retraction Watch |date=30 January 2013 |url=https://retractionwatch.com/2013/01/30/study-links-failure-to-share-data-with-poor-quality-research-and-leads-to-a-plos-one-retraction/}} With the emergence of COVID-19, Witwer was interviewed about the virology of the pandemic and conspiracy theories that arose around SARS-CoV-2.{{cite web |url=https://factual.afp.com/los-danos-irreparables-al-genoma-humano-de-las-vacunas-contra-el-covid-19-y-otras-afirmaciones |title=Los "daños irreparables" al genoma humano de las vacunas contra el covid-19 y otras afirmaciones falsas de un genetista argentine |last=Prieto |first=Ana |date=September 29, 2020 |publisher=Agence France-Presse Argentina }}{{cite web |url=https://factual.afp.com/la-prueba-pcr-usada-para-el-covid-19-no-da-positivo-ante-cualquier-tipo-de-coronavirus |title=La prueba PCR usada para el covid-19 no da positivo ante cualquier tipo de coronavirus |last=Nasanovsky |first=Nadia |date=September 24, 2020 |publisher=Agence France-Presse Argentina }}{{cite web |url=https://elemental.medium.com/the-mystery-of-why-some-people-keep-testing-positive-for-covid-19-3c0c11a6bd10 |title=The Mystery of Why Some People Keep Testing Positive for Covid-19. Inside the debate over how long the coronavirus lasts in the body |last=Khamsi |first=Roxanne |date=July 28, 2020 |publisher=Elemental }}{{cite web |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/por/infertilidade--um-fantasma-dos-antivacinas-que-afugenta-parte-da-popula%C3%A7%C3%A3o/46621724 |title=Infertilidade, um fantasma dos antivacinas que afugenta parte da população |date=May 15, 2021 |publisher=swissinfo.ch }} He is co-corresponding author of a statement by ISEV and the International Society for Gene and Cell Therapy on extracellular vesicle-based therapies for COVID-19.{{cite journal

| pmid = 32425691

| year = 2020

| last1 = Börger

| first1 = V.

| last2 = Weiss

| first2 = D. J.

| last3 = Anderson

| first3 = J. D.

| last4 = Borràs

| first4 = F. E.

| last5 = Bussolati

| first5 = B.

| author6 = Carter DRF

| last7 = Dominici

| first7 = M.

| last8 = Falcón-Pérez

| first8 = J. M.

| last9 = Gimona

| first9 = M.

| last10 = Hill

| first10 = A. F.

| last11 = Hoffman

| first11 = A. M.

| last12 = De Kleijn

| first12 = D.

| last13 = Levine

| first13 = B. L.

| last14 = Lim

| first14 = R.

| last15 = Lötvall

| first15 = J.

| last16 = Mitsialis

| first16 = S. A.

| last17 = Monguió-Tortajada

| first17 = M.

| last18 = Muraca

| first18 = M.

| last19 = Nieuwland

| first19 = R.

| last20 = Nowocin

| first20 = A.

| last21 = O'Driscoll

| first21 = L.

| last22 = Ortiz

| first22 = L. A.

| last23 = Phinney

| first23 = D. G.

| last24 = Reischl

| first24 = I.

| last25 = Rohde

| first25 = E.

| last26 = Sanzenbacher

| first26 = R.

| last27 = Théry

| first27 = C.

| last28 = Toh

| first28 = W. S.

| last29 = Witwer

| first29 = K. W.

| last30 = Lim

| first30 = S. K.

| title = International Society for Extracellular Vesicles and International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy statement on extracellular vesicles from mesenchymal stromal cells and other cells: Considerations for potential therapeutic agents to suppress coronavirus disease-19

| journal = Cytotherapy

| volume = 22

| issue = 9

| pages = 482–485

| doi = 10.1016/j.jcyt.2020.05.002

| pmc = 7229942

| display-authors = 1

}}

• 2003-2006 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship
• 2009 Richard T. Johnson Award, International Society for NeuroVirology
• 2014 CFAR Scholar Award, Johns Hopkins University Center for AIDS Research
• 2017 Catalyst Award, Johns Hopkins University{{cite web |url=https://hub.jhu.edu/2017/07/05/hopkins-catalyst-award-winners-research/ |title= 34 early-career faculty members earn Johns Hopkins Catalyst Awards |date=5 July 2017 |website= HUB |publisher=Johns Hopkins University |access-date=27 September 2019 }}
• 2021 Special Achievement Award of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles{{cite web |url=https://mcp.bs.jhmi.edu/2021/06/03/668/ |title= Congratulations to Dr. Kenneth Witwer |date=3 June 2021 |website= Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology |publisher=Johns Hopkins University |access-date=27 September 2019 }}

• {{cite journal |vauthors=Witwer KW, Sarbanes SL, Liu J, Clements JE |date=2011 |title=A plasma microRNA signature of acute lentiviral infection: biomarkers of central nervous system disease. |journal=AIDS |volume=13 |issue=25 |pages=2057–67 |doi=10.1097/QAD.0b013e32834b95bf |pmid=21857495 |pmc=3703743 }}
• {{cite journal |vauthors=Witwer KW, Watson AK, Blankson JN, Clements JE |date=2012 |title=Relationships of PBMC microRNA expression, plasma viral load, and CD4+ T-cell count in HIV-1-infected elite suppressors and viremic patients. |journal=Retrovirology |volume=9 |pages= 5|doi=10.1186/1742-4690-9-5 |pmid=22240256 |pmc=3292811 |doi-access=free }}
• {{cite journal |vauthors=Witwer KW, Buzás EI, Bemis LT, Bora A, Lässer C, Lötvall J, Nolte-'t Hoen EN, Piper MG, Sivaraman S, Skog J, Théry C, Wauben MH, Hochberg F |title=Standardization of sample collection, isolation and analysis methods in extracellular vesicle research |journal=J. Extracell. Vesicles |volume=2 |pages=20360 |date=2013 |pmid=24009894 |pmc=3760646 |doi=10.3402/jev.v2i0.20360}}
• {{cite journal |vauthors=Théry C, Witwer KW, Aikawa E |display-authors=etal |title=Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles 2018 (MISEV2018): a position statement of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles and update of the MISEV2014 guidelines |journal=J. Extracell. Vesicles |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=1535750 |date=2018 |pmid=30637094 |pmc=6322352 |doi=10.1080/20013078.2018.1535750}}
• {{cite journal |vauthors=Witwer KW, Théry C |date=2019 |title=Extracellular vesicles or exosomes? On primacy, precision, and popularity influencing a choice of nomenclature. |journal=J. Extracell. Vesicles |volume=8 |issue= 1|pages=1648167 |doi= 10.1080/20013078.2019.1648167|pmid=31489144 |pmc=6711079 }}
• {{cite journal|vauthors=Arab T, Mallick ER, Huang Y, Dong L, Liao Z, Zhao Z, Gololobova O, Smith B, Haughey NJ, Pienta KJ, Slusher BS, Tarwater PM, Tosar JP, Zivkovic AM, Vreeland WN, Paulaitis ME, Witwer KW |date=2021 |title=Characterization of extracellular vesicles and synthetic nanoparticles with four orthogonal single-particle analysis platforms. |journal=J. Extracell. Vesicles |volume=10 |issue=6 |pages=e12079 |doi=10.1002/jev2.12079 |pmid=33850608 |pmc=8023330 }}

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|witwerlab.com}}
• {{google scholar id|id=cki6tm4AAAAJ|name=Kenneth W Witwer}}
• {{YouTube|handle=ExtracellularVesicleClub}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Witwer, Kenneth}}

Category:21st-century American scientists

Category:Johns Hopkins University faculty

Category:American molecular biologists

Category:American virologists

Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:21st-century biologists