Dr. David J. Looney, MD

Expert Publications

• A disulfide-bound HIV-1 V3 loop sequence on the surface of human rhinovirus 14 induces neutralizing responses against HIV-1.
• Evolution of envelope sequences of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in cellular reservoirs in the setting of potent antiviral therapy.
• Altered immunophenotype of dendritic cells generated from HIV infected subjects.
• Differential effects of HIV-1 protease inhibitors on dendritic cell immunophenotype and function.
• Inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 expression by a hairpin ribozyme.
• Lentiviral vectors pseudotyped with minimal filovirus envelopes increased gene transfer in murine lung.
• Type-specific and cross-reactive neutralizing antisera against HIV elicited by V3-peptide heptalysine octomers.
• Feline immunodeficiency virus: a concise review.
• Characterization of a mobilization-competent simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) vector containing a ribozyme against SIV polymerase.
• Transduction of cell lines and primary cells by FIV-packaged HIV vectors.
• Small interfering RNA-induced transcriptional gene silencing in human cells.
• Efficient gene transfer to retinal pigment epithelium cells with long-term expression.
• Role of the fusogenic peptide sequence in syncytium induction and infectivity of human immunodeficiency virus type 2.
• Characterization of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-2 vector mobilization by HIV-1.
• Differences in the interaction of HIV-1 and HIV-2 with CD4.

Media Releases

Get to know Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. David J. Looney, who serves patients in San Diego, California.

Dr. Looney is an attending Infectious Disease physician and the HIV Lead Clinician at VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS). He also serves as Associate Professor at UCSD and Co-Director Director of the University of California San Diego CFAR Genomics and Sequencing Core, supporting multiple HIV-cure related projects by providing via cutting-edge, quantitative integration assays using next-generation sequencing (NGS) capable of characterizing clonal (non-replicative) expansion of HIV and advanced viral quantitation for cure studies using droplet-digital PCR.

He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from the Washington University in St. Louis, and received his Doctor of Medicine degree Cum Laude from the University of Missouri School of Medicine in 1979. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the Letterman Army Medical Center in 1982, and his fellowship in infectious disease at the Brooke Army Medical Center in 1986.  He also completed training in Tropical Medicine at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, and performed  postdoctoral training at National Robert allo’s Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology at the NIH from 1986-1989.

Dr. Looney is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP), and is board-certified in Infectious Disease and Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). Other roles include Hospital Epidemiologist at the VA San Diego Healthcare Center where is he also serves as Chair of the Infection Prevention and Control Committee, Co-Chair of the VASDHS Removable Medical Equipment Committee, and Co-Chair of the VASDHS Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee.

Infectious disease is a medical specialty dealing with the prevention, the diagnosis, and the treatment of all infections. An infectious disease specialist’s practice also consists of managing nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections.

Recommended Articles

• What Are Lymphocytes? Low, Normal, and High Lymphocyte Counts

  Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell produced in the bone marrow. A few lymphocytes enter the bloodstream while some move into the lymphatic system. Having a low or high lymphocyte count can help identify a person's medical condition. Normal lymphocyte counts usually vary from one laboratory...

• Infectious Disease Experts Tell Us What to Expect From the Coronavirus

  The deadly coronavirus that began as a handful of infections in China and exponentially multiplied around the globe has become one of the largest news stories of the decade.With over 50 million cases of COVID-19 confirmed and over 1 million deaths, the world is struggling on how to contain the virus...

• What Causes Cholera?

  Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease that causes thousands of deaths each year and inflicts tremendous pain in areas where it has been reported. This infection is a great menace that has been disturbing humankind. However, it does not mean that cholera is everywhere or that it cannot be treated...

• Your Guide to Using Valtrex

  Valtrex is the name of the drug that contains valacyclovir. It is prescribed for many infections caused by the herpes virus, which includes cold sores, genital herpes, and shingles. Herpes virus can appear on any part of the body, but most often, it shows in the genitals and mouth. There are two...

• Is Meningitis Contagious?

  Caused by bacteria and viruses, meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord known as the meninges. The inflammation is usually caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can develop as a result of injury,...

• Everything You Need To Know About Lyme Disease

  What is Lyme disease?Lyme disease also called Lyme borreliosis is an inflammatory disorder in which the first symptoms that appear include rash, fever, headache, chills and then later arthritis, cardiac and neurological disorders. It is a bacterial infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. ...