COL Andrew R. Kick, PhD

Assistant Professor

Deputy Director - Life Science Program

Chemistry & Life Science

Center for Molecular Science

andrewkick [at] westpoint.edu

COL Andrew R. Kick is an academy professor in the Department of Chemistry and Life Science and serves as the Deputy Director of the Life Science program. He completed a B.S. in biology at the University of Dayton in 2000 and was commissioned through Army ROTC. As an Army officer, he has served in four career fields: chemical, military intelligence, nuclear and countering weapons of mass destruction, and academy professor. He has served in operational assignments in Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, Aberdeen Proving Ground, and Fort Drum.

In 2020, COL Kick completed a Ph.D. at North Carolina State University in comparative biomedical sciences with an immunology concentration. He teaches general chemistry, human physiology, genetics, and advanced techniques in light microscopy. COL Kick mentors and develops cadets as a research advisor, department academic counselor, cadet skeet and trap team officer representative, and Officer Christian Fellowship small group leader.

Ph.D., Comparative Biomedical Sciences - North Carolina State University

M.S., Physiology - North Carolina State University

B.S., Biology - University of Dayton

Research Interests

Virology, immunology

Current Research

COL Kick is an immunologist establishing Department of Defense-relevant research along the following lines of effort: bacteriophage therapeutics; immunoreactivity to novel biomaterials; and pathogenicity of / immune responses to a model RNA virus (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus). He is a principal investigator in the Biodefense Protection Technologies Lab.

Selected Publications

Kovacs, C.J.; Rapp, E.M.; Rankin, W.R.; McKenzie, S.M.; Brasko, B.K.; Hebert, K.E.; Bachert, B.A.; Kick, A.R.; Burpo, F.J.; Barnhill, J.C. Combinations of Bacteriophage Are Efficacious against Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enhance Sensitivity to Carbapenem Antibiotics. Viruses 2024, 16, 1000. https://doi.org/10.3390/v16071000

Hershfield, J., Bateman, S., Kick, A., O’Donovan, K., Barnhill, J., Burpo, F.J. West Point Department of Chemistry and Life Science: Strengthening Army Medicine through Leadership and Research. The Medical Journal, US Army Medical Center of Excellence (MEDCoE), Accepted 15MAY24. In press, Fall 2024.

Kick, A.R.; Grete, A.F.; Crisci, E.; Almond, G.W.; Käser, T. Testable Candidate Immune Correlates of Protection for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Vaccination. Vaccines 2023, 11, 594. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11030594

Bocard, L.V.; Kick, A.R.; Hug, C.; Lischer, H.E.L.; Käser, T.; Summerfield, A. Systems Immunology Analyses Following Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome Virus Infection and Vaccination. Frontiers in Immunology 2021, 12, doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.779747.

Kick AR, Grete AF, Crisci E, Almond GW, Käser T. Testable Candidate Immune Correlates of Protection for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Vaccination. Vaccines. 2023; 11(3):594. doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11030594

Bocard LV, Kick AR, Hug C, Lischer HEL, Käser T, Summerfield A. Systems Immunology Analyses Following Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome Virus Infection and Vaccination. Frontiers in Immunology. 2021;12:5325. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.779747

Kick, A.R.; Amaral, A.F.; Frias-De-Diego, A.; Cortes, L.M.; Fogle, J.E.; Crisci, E.; Almond, G.W.; Käser, T. The Local and Systemic Humoral Immune Response Against Homologous and Heterologous Strains of the Type 2 Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus. Front. Immunol. 2021, 12, 631, doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.637613.

Kick, A.R.; Wolfe, Z.C.; Amaral, A.F.; Cortes, L.M.; Almond, G.W.; Crisci, E.; Gauger, P.C.; Pittman, J.; Käser, T. Maternal Autogenous Inactivated Virus Vaccination Boosts Immunity to PRRSV in Piglets. Vaccines 2021, 9, 106, doi:10.3390/vaccines9020106.

Amaral, A.F.; Rahman, K.S.; Kick, A.R.; Cortes, L.M.; Robertson, J.; Kaltenboeck, B.; Gerdts, V.; O'Connell, C.M.; Poston, T.B.; Zheng, X., et al. Mucosal Vaccination with UV-Inactivated. Vaccines (Basel) 2020, 8, doi:10.3390/vaccines8030353.

Kick, A.R.; Amaral, A.F.; Cortes, L.M.; Fogle, J.E.; Crisci, E.; Almond, G.W.; Kaser, T. The T-Cell Response to Type 2 Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV). Viruses 2019, 11, doi:10.3390/v11090796.