Bio
Dr. Cote's main expertise is in hepatitis B virus (HBV) virology, immunology, pathogenesis, and therapy. He has dedicated most of his career at Georgetown to this type of research using HBV and HBV model systems, including the woodchuck hepatitis virus model (WHV). He has also researched other human viruses, including hepatitis D virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and human immunodeficiency virus. He has additional postgraduate degree training in general life sciences, exercise and endocrine physiology, and nutritional metabolism.
Dr. Cote currently maintains his appointment and laboratory at Georgetown entirely via extramural contract and grant funding mechanisms. He is actively pursuing new funding opportunities to continue university-related work and research.
Since 1978, Paul developed his career in hepatitis B virus research under world-renowned virologist, Professor John L. Gerin, PhD, of the Georgetown University Medical Center. During these years, he was mentored also by James Evans Law Professor of Comparative Medicine, Bud C. Tennant, DVM, of the Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine.
Paul began full-time employment at Georgetown as a research assistant (1978-86), shortly after he completed his master's degree in physiology at Penn State University under Professor Paul Wangsness (1974-77). During his employment at Georgetown, he earned a PhD in the Department of Biology (1980-86) as an immunologist under Professor Diane W. Taylor.
Dr. Cote became full-time research track faculty at Georgetown beginning in 1987. He was key personnel and co-investigator on successive Georgetown research contracts under Professor Gerin, and on subcontracts from Cornell under Professor Tennant. He played a key role in the development and writing of proposals for extramural contract renewals since 1985. His service over the years on the various research contracts enabled much personal and professional growth toward his appointment to the rank of Research Professor (2001-present).
Paul has lectured periodically at the Georgetown University undergraduate campus, and at the Georgetown Medical and Nursing Schools, in general virology and immunolgy, and holistic health practices. He is currently a Professorial Lecturer in Biology teaching a newly designed course in Virology (Biol 371). Throughout his career, he has trained technicians, undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting scientists in laboratory investigation, and he has supervised and mentored junior research track faculty.
His research in hepatitis B models is recognized nationally and internationally by clinicians and basic researchers. He has lectured and consulted on hepatitis B models throughout the US, Europe, and the Orient. The research contracts on which he has served, have played a key role in the conquest of HBV, producing insights into the basic pathogenesis of chronic HBV infection and disease, and developing numerous breakthroughs in HBV diagnostics, HBV vaccines to prevent infection, and antiviral drugs and immunotherapies for chronic HBV carriers. He has published more than 95 scientific papers in biomedical journals involving lead, team, and senior mentor efforts. He has served as editor and reviewer for biomedical journal articles, and on NIH study sections reviewing grant and contract applications.
Dr. Cote’s public service interests include the exploration and development of connections between mechanistic and holistic paradigms as they apply to multidisciplinary biomedical fields and ethology. He also promotes holistic education via the integrated study of biomedical sciences, transcultural mind-body exercise systems, and martial arts training. He is an accomplished martial arts practitioner of 30 years, and is a senior instructor in Okinawan karate and in the Chinese internal martial arts (xing-yi quan, bagua zhang, taiji quan [tai chi]). He conducts martial arts and mind-body classes regularly, and lectures academically on the psychosocial-biologic principles behind mind-body systems that use posture and movement for health and inner personal development.
