Dr. Woolsey’s research focuses on preclinical vaccine development and understanding the immunopathology of emerging and re-emerging viruses requiring maximum biocontainment (BSL-4) including ebolaviruses, marburgviruses, henipaviruses, and arenaviruses. She employs advanced immunological tools to dissect natural and vaccine-mediated host immunity to these pathogens. The overall objective is to harness this knowledge to improve medical countermeasures. Her specific interests include 1) generating rapid-acting and durable recombinant Vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV)-based vaccines, 2) characterizing how these vaccines elicit early and sustained protection, and 3) exploring mechanisms of virus persistence and sequelae.