About us

Dr. John Kriesel graduated from Lake Forest High School in 1980 and then cum laude from the University of Illinois in 1984. He went on to graduate from Washington University Medical School in 1988. He came to Utah that year and completed a residency in Internal Medicine in 1991, and then a fellowship in Infectious Diseases (ID) in 1994. Dr. Kriesel joined the faculty at the University of Utah School of Medicine in 1996 with a primary appointment in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. He was promoted to Research Associate Professor in 2007. He is currently board certified in Infectious Diseases and has been continuously since 1994. He is also an AAHIVM certified HIV specialist. Dr. Kriesel's primary interests here are in translational and clinical research. He discovered a major genetic contributor to human cold sores. His research projects include novel treatments of herpes simplex virus infections, antiviral vaccines, and microbiologic triggers of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and sarcoidosis. He has recently demonstrated microbial RNA sequences that are over expressed in MS and sarcoidosis, suggesting causes to these autoimmune diseases. He has authored 49 original scientific papers and book chapters and has 3 U.S. patents. Dr. Kriesel's clinical responsibilities include infectious disease consultations at the VA and University Hospitals, General ID and HIV clinic at the University Hospital, and attending at the Salt Lake City STD Clinic. He participates in the education of medical students, allied health students, internal medicine residents, and infectious disease fellows.