Charles R. Wira is an American scientist specializing in

endocrinology Endocrinology (from ''endocrine system, endocrine'' + ''wikt:-logy#Suffix, -ology'') is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions known as hormones. It is also concerned with the ...

and

mucosal immunology Mucosal immunology is the study of immune system responses that occur at mucosal membranes of the intestines, the urogenital tract, and the respiratory system. The mucous membranes are in constant contact with microorganisms, food, and inhaled a ...

. His research focuses on the

immune system The immune system is a network of biological systems that protects an organism from diseases. It detects and responds to a wide variety of pathogens, from viruses to bacteria, as well as Tumor immunology, cancer cells, Parasitic worm, parasitic ...

at mucosal surfaces of the female reproductive tract.

Biography

Wira earned a bachelor's of science in

Animal Husbandry Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, animal fiber, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, management, production, nutrition, selective breeding, and the raising ...

from

Delaware Valley College Delaware Valley University (DelVal) is a private university in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1896, it enrolls approximately 2,178 students on its suburban, 570-acre campus. DelVal offers more than 28 undergraduate majors, 12 master's prog ...

(now

Delaware Valley University Delaware Valley University (DelVal) is a private university in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1896, it enrolls approximately 2,178 students on its suburban, 570-acre campus. DelVal offers more than 28 undergraduate majors, 12 master's prog ...

) in 1962 and a master's of science in Physiology from

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...

in 1966. He completed his

Ph.D A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College ( ) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, Dartmouth is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the America ...

in 1970, where he began his academic career as an assistant professor in the Department of Physiology. He was promoted to professor in 1985. Between 1970 and 1972, Wira pursued postdoctoral training at the

University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, where he studied the molecular mechanisms of estrogen action in the uterus. Wira's research investigates the effects of female sex hormones on innate and adaptive immunity in the female reproductive tract, using both animal models and human studies. He has participated in a Dartmouth Medical School Fogarty Grant that facilitated training in HIV-related mucosal immunology for scientists from the University of Muhimbili,

Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...

. Wira has been involved with the Society for Mucosal Immunology, the American Society for Reproductive Immunology (ASRI), the

American Society for Microbiology The American Society for Microbiology (ASM), originally the Society of American Bacteriologists, is a professional organization for scientists who study viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae, and protozoa as well as other aspects of microbiology. It wa ...

, and the International Society for Immunology of Reproduction (ISIR). He was president of ASRI from 2008 to 2010 and president of ISIR from 2015 to 2017.

Achievements and contributions

Wira has received an

NIH MERIT Award The NIH MERIT award (Method To Extend Research in Time) Award (R37) was created by the National Institutes of Health The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical an ...

and the ASRI Distinguished Investigator Award in Reproductive Immunology. He has advised the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on projects, including the NIH Women, Girls, and HIV/AIDS Group, the NIH Planning Group for HIV-related research, and the OAR Microbicides Planning Group. He has also helped organize NIH-sponsored international meetings on HIV prevention and mucosal immunity.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wira, Charles R. Living people American endocrinologists Dartmouth College faculty American physiologists Dartmouth College alumni Wira, Charles Year of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people)