The UAB Department of Microbiology and the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) hosted the inaugural HIV Basic and Translational Research Symposium Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, at the UAB Hilton Hotel. The all-day event featured speakers from the university and Southern Research, time for discussion, and a poster session.
The symposium sought to increase awareness of basic and translational research on HIV, related co-morbidities, and associated fundamental biology ongoing at UAB. In addition, the event intended to foster new collaborations and multi-disciplinary research while highlighting resources, funding opportunities, and services that can support HIV-related research at UAB.
“UAB has an unbelievable history of basic and translational research on HIV,” said J. Victor Garcia-Martinez, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Microbiology. “It was great to have the opportunity to bring so many distinguish investigators, students, and trainees together in one room to share their most recent discoveries and to reignite the spirit of collaboration that has been a trademark of this institution.”
Renee Heffron, Ph.D., director of CFAR, professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases, echoed the success of the event.
“The symposium was a wonderful opportunity for this community to gather in person, share updates on their work, and engage in scientific discourse about next steps for HIV research towards cure, vaccine, and novel therapies for treatment and prevention."
The full list of speakers at the 2024 HIV Basic and Translational Research Symposium at UAB is as follows.
Session 1
Moderator: James Kobie, Ph.D., Division of Infectious Diseases
J. Victor Garcia-Martinez, Ph.D., Department of Microbiology
“HLA-E based gene and cell therapy approach to HIV CURE”
Allan Zajac, Ph.D., Department of Microbiology
“Antigen-independent signals that shape the quality of CD8 T cell responses to infections”
Michael Vinikoor, M.D., Division of Infectious Diseases
“Single cell omics to study hepatitis B immunology in the liver in Zambia”
Emily Wong, M.D., Division of Infectious Diseases
“Interactions between HIV and Mtb immunity: insights from a population-based platforms in KwaZulu-Natal”
Kevin Maroney, GBS, Division of Infectious Diseases
“CD8 T cell clonotypes recognize HIV-1 cross-restricted by HLA-E*01:01/03 and HLA-B*57:01 with different functional profiles”
Session 2
Moderators: Christina Oschenbaur, Ph.D., and Bokani Nleya, Ph.D., Division of Hematology and Oncology
Elizabeth Worthey, Ph.D., Division of Genetic Research
“UAB Biological Data Science Core”
Sonya Heath, M.D., Division of Infectious Diseases
“UAB CFAR Clinical Core”
Nathan Erdmann, M.D., Ph.D., Division of Infectious Diseases
“Chronic Inflammation in HIV and Post-Acute Infections”
Robert Reynolds, Ph.D., Division of Hematology and Oncology
“An Overview of Targeted Degradation and Applications to Antiviral Research and Drug Discovery”
Session 3
Moderator: Angela Wahl, Ph.D., Department of Microbiology
Jamil Saad, Ph.D., Department of Microbiology
“Mechanisms of HIV assembly through the lens of structural biology”
Lijun Ling, Ph.D., Department of Microbiology
BCG co-infection reduces cell-associated HIV DNA levels in HIV-infected humanized mice during suppressive ART”
Corinne Augelli-Szafran, Ph.D., Southern Research
“The design and discovery of HIV agents”
John Kappes, Ph.D., Division of Hematology and Oncology
“Innovations for elucidating antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity responses and relevance for HIV-1 prevention and cure”
Zdenek Hel, Ph.D., Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology
“Altered myelopoiesis and immunosuppression”
Session 4
Moderator: Steffanie Sabbaj, Ph.D., Division of Infectious Diseases
Aurelio Galli, Ph.D., Department of Surgery
“The role of HIV proteins in psychostimulant abuse”
Masakazu Kamata, Ph.D., Department of Microbiology
“Elimination of HIV reservoirs in the brain and central nervous system through a pathway dependent on antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP)”
Angela Wahl, Ph.D., Department of Microbiology
“Mucosal HIV acquisition is enhanced by resident microbiota”
Christina Oschenbaur, Ph.D., Division of Hematology and Oncology
“Antibody neutralization of HIV-1 cell-cell spread: Implications for bnAb treatment and prevention”
Molly Cavanaugh, GBS, Department of Microbiology
“Resident microbiota regulates HIV infection in the CNS”