Mary K. Estes

Mary K. Estes is an American virologist who is professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Her courses include microbiology, and virology; she is also the co-director of the Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine Graduate Program at Baylor College of Medicine. There are two main viruses that her research is based on, rotaviruses and noroviruses. The main goal of her research are to study how the viral proteins interact with the receptors of the intestinal cells; they are also looking into different ways to deliver virus-like particles to prevent these viruses from causing infections. Efforts, by others to develop a successful vaccine against the virus started in the 1980s. Two vaccines were eventually developed —RotaTeq and Rotarix; however, there has been some concern about their safety due to a small increased risk of intussusception. Estes' research group is credited with discovering a novel enterotoxin involved in rotavirus pathology, as well as the effect of histoblood group antigens on an individual's susceptibility to norowalk virus infection. Estes's laboratory continues to research the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathology of gastrointestinal viruses using recombinant virus-like particles to probe their structure and function.

Awards and recognition A full list of awards is available for viewing on the Baylor College of Medicine faculty page of Mary K. Estes. Researcher/Investigator of the Year, Crohn's & Colitis Foundation Gold Key Award, "Receiver" (01/2000) Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Science, "Member (01/2005) Academy of Medicine, Engineering, and Science of Texas, "Member" (01/2005) Cullen Foundation, "Chair of Human and Molecular Virology" (2006) National Academy of Sciences, Member (2007) AGA Distinguished Achievement Award, Receiver (2010) William Beaumont Prize (2018)