Richard C. Weiss

phone: 334-844-2666
email: weissrl@vetmed.auburn.edu

Dr. Richard C. Weiss, associate professor of pathobiology, earned the VMD degree in 1973 from the University of Pennsylvania and the PhD degree in 1981 from Cornell University. He was engaged in small animal practice for 3 years prior to completing a veterinary pathology residency and graduate studies at Cornell. After obtaining his PhD, Dr. Weiss was employed as a staff research scientist at Syntex Corporation from 1981-1984 and helped develop a vaccine against feline leukemia virus. Dr. Weiss joined the faculty at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1985 as a joint appointee in the Department of Pathobiology and the Scott Ritchey Research Center where he established a research program in feline virus disease. He has over 50 publications in the area of feline virology and immunology and is recognized nationally for his expertise in studying feline infectious peritonitis.
 

Research Interests

My major emphasis has been in the area of viral pathogenesis, antiviral immunity, and treatment of feline viral diseases, particularly coronovirus and retrovirus infections (FIP, FeLV, FIV) with antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs. I am also interested in studying treatments of feline or canine cancer with cytokines or other immunomodulators.  Since 1993, my research has been put on administrative hold.
 

Selected Publications

Weiss RC, Oostrom-Ram T: Effect of recombinant human interferon-alpha in vitro and in in vivo on mitogen-induced lymphocyte blastogenesis in cats. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 1990;24:147-157.

Weiss RC: Immunologic responses in healthy random-source cats fed N,N-dimethylglycine supplemented diets. Am J Vet Res 1992;53:829-833.

Weiss RC, Cummins JM, Richards AB: Low-dose oral alpha interferon therapy of feline leukemia virus infection. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1991;199:1477-1481.

Weiss RC: Immunotherapy of feline leukemia using Staphylococcal protein A (Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I) or heterologous interferons: Immunopharmacologic actions and potential use. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1988;192:681-684.

Weiss RC, Cox NR: Evaluation of immunity to feline infectious peritonitis in cats with cutaneous viral-induced delayed hypersensitivity. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 1989;21:293- 309.

Weiss RC, Oostrom-Ram T: Inhibitory effects of ribavirin alone or combined with human alpha interferon on feline infectious peritonitis virus replication in vitro. Vet Microbiol 1989;20:255-265.