Research Goals
Collaborators
Funding
Techniques used in the lab
Personnel
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Research Goals
The current and longer-range goals of the laboratory are to develop antiretroviral, immune transformative, gene editing and theranostic agents to improve the diagnosis, treatment and “cure” options for viral and neurodegenerative diseases.
The laboratory initiative is a consortium of research collaborators divided into specific programs, each co-led by established investigators with specific expertise in immunology, molecular biology, infectious disease, proteomics, physiology, chemistry and pathogenesis. These provide the student and research fellow an interdisciplinary research experience.
First, studies revolving around the development of cell-based long-acting drug delivery. Nanotoxicology studies involve the studies of the regulation of leukocyte entry into peripheral and neural tissues with a focus on restoring nervous system homeostasis and glial immunity. This is seen during neurodegenerative diseases and include studies of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Those agents that are being developed include, but are not limited to, antiviral, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Second, drug testing of both neuroprotective and neuroregenerative medicines used in combination with diagnostics are being developed in disease-relevant animal models for disease. This program is part of national grant efforts that involve scientists at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Moderna, Calibr, Exavir and Partner Biotechnology Companies. The focus is to perform translational and clinical research.
Third, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic approaches for biomarker discovery are linked to studies of cell-cell interactions for disease. This is part of a broader initiative of how transformative medicines can suppress, eliminate and or transform viral replication and brain immune dysregulation.
Fourth, neuroimmunologic approaches that induce protective immunity are being pursued in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. The laboratory has developed a unique immunoregulatory approach that uses T cell sources for brain repair to combat neurodegeneration.
Collaborators
Siddappa Byrareddy, Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, UNMC, Omaha, NE
Prasanta Dash, Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, UNMC, Omaha, NE
Paul L. Domanico, Clinton Health Access Initiative, Research Triangle Park, NC
Benson Edagwa, Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, UNMC, Omaha, NE
Santhi Gorantla, Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, UNMC, Omaha, NE
Bhavesh Kevadiya, Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, UNMC, Omaha, NE
Kamel Khalili, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Yutong Liu, Radiology, UNMC, Omaha, NE
JoEllyn McMillan, Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, UNMC Omaha, NE
R. Lee Mosley, Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, UNMC, Omaha, NE
Larisa Poluektova, Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, UNMC, Omaha, NE
David Volsky, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
Xinglong Wang, Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, UNMC, Omaha, NE
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Funding
Neuroprotective Immunity and HIV Dementia
MPI: Gendelman, H.E. and Mosley, R.L.
NIH/NINDS NS034239
This proposal will determine cell responses in macrophages following HIV-1 infection and engagement with T cells and T cell subsets. Macrophage functions including phagocytosis, antigen presentation, intracellular killing and effector cell responses and their modulation by T cells is a focus for this work. Signal transduction pathways and mechanisms for virus-induced neurotoxicity or neuroprotection will be developed.
LASER ART for PrEP
MPI: Gendelman, H.E. and Edagwa, B.
DHHS/NIH 1R01AI158160-01A1
LASER ART for PrEP is designed to develop, characterize, test and produce long acting antiretroviral therapy for the prevention of HIV/AIDS. The work is based on the notion that a year injectable can be administered safely to those at greatest risk for HIV-1 infection and prevented as what is coined a chemical vaccine. The project is a collaboration with the Clinton Health Access Initiative whose support will be focused on drug manufacture. Testing and development of the medicines will be done by our scientific staff.
Neuroimmunology of Disease Training Program
MPI: Gendelman, H.E. and Monaghan, D.
NIH/NINDS T32 NS105594
This program will provide unique research training experiences in infectious, developmental, and degenerative nervous system diseases. By combining cross-disciplinary team-mentored training in the immune-brain axis, the next generation of neuroscientists will be able to incorporate multidisciplinary approaches into novel research paradigms. This is done to better understand disease processes and develop state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. The University of Nebraska Medical Center is well positioned to offer this unique cross-disciplinary educational experience.
Chronic HIV infection and Aging in NeuroAIDS (CHAIN) Center
MPI: Buch, S and Fox, H.; Therapeutics Core Leader: Gendelman, H. E.
NIH/NIMH P30 MH062261
This is a Center grant to provide Administrative and Core Support for scientists investigating NeuroAIDS.
Combined Molecular Excision Therapy (CMET) for Eliminating HIV-1
PI: Gendelman, H.E.
NIH/NIMH R01MH115860-01
In this proposal we seek to eradicate the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from its central nervous system and peripheral reservoirs. Dual humanized brain and immune system mice were created to reflect the complex neuroimmune communication networks seen in human disease. These mice will be used to assess brain viral reservoirs during combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and gene delivery of a CRISPR/Cas9 for final viral excision. HIV elimination will be determined after cessation of cART and elimination of viral rebound.
Parkinson's Technology
PI: Gendelman, H.E.
Moderna Therapeutics
Improve the delivery of an immune transformative agent by engagement of a liposomal delivery system for RNA rather than protein in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
Prodrug Formulations Create Sustained Release Antiretrovirals
MPI: Gendelman, H.E./Edagwa, B.
NIH/NIA 1 R01AI145542
This award will be used to convert short acting antiretroviral drugs into long-acting slow effective release ART (LASER ART) with potent and selective activities against the human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1). The LASER ART chemically modified to create hydrophobic and lipophilic drug crystals in order to extend the drug dosing intervals from once/day to once/6 months. The generation of decorated drug nanocrystals can be boosted by a second medicine that protects the first from cell destruction and thereby serves to improve reservoir delivery to body tissue sites where HIV-1 grows such as the lymph nodes and gut.
HIV Theranostics
PI: Gendelman, H.E.
NIH/NIMH R01MH121402
This award is to convert nucleoside reverse transcriptase and an integrase inhibitor(s) into long-acting slow effective release antiretroviral nanocrystals with improved safety and efficacy against human immunodeficiency virus infection. Prodrug nanocrystals are lipophilic and stabilized by biocompatible surfactants. The formulations are being developed with the potential to extend drug-dosing intervals up to once every six months.
Techniques used in laboratory
- Chimeric Mice
- Fluorescent microscopy
- HIV-1 neurotoxicity assay
- Immunohistochemistry
- Macrophage migration tracking
- Mouse intracerebral stereotactic inoculation
- Mouse models of HIV-1 encephalitis
- Nano-medicine macrophage delivery
- Pathology analysis
- Primary brain and immune cell culture
- Real-time PCR
- Small animal model drug therapy
- Western blotting
- iTRAC and SWATH proteomics
- Flow cytometry/FACS
Personnel
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Aditya Bade, PhD |
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Prasanta Dash, PhD |
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Ashish Das |
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Srijanee Das |
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Pallavi Deol, PhD |
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Suyash Deodhar |
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Benson Edagwa, PhD |
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| Brandon Hanson Research Technologist II |
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Mahmudul Hasan Graduate Research Assistant Pharmaceutical Sciences |
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| Yaman Lu Researcher |
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Mai Mostafa Post-Doctoral Researcher |
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Krista Namminga |
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Mohammad Ullah Nayan Graduate Research Assistant IGPBS Neuroscience Co-mentored with Dr. Benson Edagwa |
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Kate Olson-Johnson, PhD |
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Milankumar Patel |
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| Brady Sillman, PhD Instructor |
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Emiko Waight |
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Pravin Yeapuri |
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Lubaba Zaman Graduate Research Assistant IGPBS Neuroscience |
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Chen Zhang |
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Dr. Gendelman's biographical information
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