Expert Details
Clinical Applications, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Diagnostics, Immunology, and Custom Speaking
ID: 722132
Georgia, USA
Expert has over ten years of experience working in immunology. During this time, he has worked extensively with the delivery of cytokines in association with experimental vaccine models as well as immunological and molecular methods for the detection of cytokines in in vitro and in vivo samples. Much of his recent efforts involve the use of multiple cytokine (analyte) profiling of complex human samples.
Expert has over ten years of experience with ELISA technology. This experience includes the use of ELISA for detection of viral and bacterial specific antibody induction, viral antigen detection and cytokine analysis. In addition, Expert has designed ELISA techniques for analysis of vaccine antigen content (potency assay), human viral exposure studies (epidemiology) and clonal and monoclonal antibody screening.
He has participated in experimental molecular vaccine design and construction for the development of multi-epitope synthetic nucliec acid vaccines. In addition, Expert has used synthetic epitope peptides for use in cellular immunology measures such as T-cell proliferation studies.
Expert has been involved in many aspects of systemic and mucosal immunology related to viral infection and vaccine design. He has more than eight years of immunology experience related to viral pathogenesis, vaccine design and detection of pathogen specific immunity. He has performed immune analysis of both systemic and mucosal humoral immune responses. This experience includes screening of sera and mucosal secretions by ELISA as well as Western blotting for detection of IgG, IgM and IgA (monomeric as well as secretory). He has published several articles that address mucosal immune induction responses and vaccination.
Expert received his Ph.D. in the medical sciences with an emphasis in medical and molecular microbiology. Since 1993, he has worked in various fields of microbiology, including viral immunology, zoonotic bacterial diseases, vaccine development and molecular epidemiology of viral disease.
Expert has performed work related to molecular biology since 1986. His contributions include molecular vector design, cloning, sequencing, PCR and rtPCR, hybridization studies, DNA vaccine design and construction, microarray technologies and proteomic analysis of complex samples.
For the past four years, Expert has directed a laboratory for the design and implementation of serological analysis for exposure to viral agents. This work includes cloning, expression and purification of recombinant antigen for use in ELISA and other immunoassays for the detection of viral-specific humoral responses. Expert performs serological testing on clinical samples for infectious disease assessment.
Expert has ten years of experience in several different viral immunology laboratories, which includes analysis of molecular and immunological aspects of viral infection in humans as well as model systems. Expert has worked in the field of virology for many years and has experience in the diagnosis of viral diseases.
Expert has experience in the development, construction and testing of novel vaccines for veterinary use. His research related to Bartonella henselae was in coordination with the marketing of a vaccine for domestic cats to prevent the "carrier" state of this bacteria and subsequent transmission to humans. He also worked on novel mucosal and molecular DNA vaccines for Bartonella.
Expert has performed research on antigen identification, purification and characterization. He developed novel approaches to synthetic antigen production against Herpes viruses using molecular vaccines as well as production of antigen in the form of viral like particles from human papillomavirus. He has experience with DNA vector expression, protein expression, and purification in bacterial systems as well as baculovirus.
Expert has over 10 years of experience in the design, development, and implementation of immune assays to recognize antigen-antibody interactions.
Expert has participated in projects for the development and testing of bacterial vaccines (see his paragraph on animal vaccines). He has performed experimental vaccine studies using bacterial vectors as well as novel DNA vaccines for bacterial agents.
Expert has experience with agents considered critical for bio-defense.
Expert has performed research that requires the production of viral cultures. These include both efforts for vaccine studies as well as molecular biology studies related to the biology of the agent and hosts.
Expert has over eight years of experience in blood serum collection and analysis using immunological testing for infectious agents.
Expert has experience with testing blood for both immune markers for exposure to infectious agents as well as molecular diagnostic testing for agents such as bartonella, herpes simplex virus, and orthopoxvirus.
Expert's experience has involved years of experimentation with immune sera to a variety of bacterial and viral agents.
Expert provides immunology support to laboratory research related to public health. He is considered experienced in immunity to infectious agents. His efforts have allowed his exposure to immunity studies to both viral and bacterial agents.
Expert has been involved with vaccine studies in animals and humans related to bacterial and viral vaccines over the past 11 years.
Expert has provided immunodiagnostic support for viral disease assessment in the form of serological testing since 1999 at a clinical level. He has designed and implemented a number of assays and has patent applications in for at least one of these assays.
Expert has over 15 years of experience with a variety of infectious agents and associated diseases. His experience is broad with research efforts towards understading the causitive agents biology as well as host responses to infection. He has experience in development, implementation and testing of diagnostic tests for identification of exposure to infectious agents (aslo see immunodiagnostics).
Array
Expert has provided technical evaluation of projects and estimates of market potential for biotechnical areas of research. This work has included review of market potential and patentability.He has provided information and assistance in experimental design and has provided project development/management to colleagues in academic and government positions for programs seeking funding.Expert has provided human resource consultation for personnel issues related to placement of technical staff for key positions in academic and government laboratories.He has provided information related to infectious disease control measures for containment of agents.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1996 | Degree: Post Doctoral Research | Subject: Viral Immunology | Institution: University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Veterinary Medicine |
| Year: 1993 | Degree: Ph.D. | Subject: Medical Science/Microbiology | Institution: College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile Alabama |
| Year: 1988 | Degree: B.A. | Subject: Biology | Institution: University of Louisville |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2003 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Team Leader and Microbiologist | Department: Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases |
Responsibilities:Expert leads a team of researchers for laboratory research, diagnostics, epidemiology, ecology and molecular studies. This includes management of a senior staff of scientists focusing on molecular virology, diagnostics, immunology, epidemiology and molecular diagnostics. The team performs studies that include vaccine and therapeutic trials in animal and in vitro models, ecology modeling of infectious diseases with focus on zoonotic infections globally. is a senior member of a viral infectious disease laboratory. He oversees an immunology laboratory as well as efforts towards diagnostics development. Aspects of this work include genomic and proteomic evaluation and development of models for immune responses to vaccines and infectious agents, including contagious and zoonotic agents. He has experience with biological containment at levels 3 and 4. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1999 to 2003 | Employer: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) | Title: Microbiologist | Department: Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases |
Responsibilities:He developed an immunological laboratory for the analysis of human viral infections associated with cancer development. He is also responsible for directing and supervising laboratory efforts to define genetic aspects of chronic diseases. These duties include genomic micro-array gene expression studies in an effort to discover novel genetic components of chronic illness. He initiated a unique program for proteomic biomarker discovery for chronic fatigue research as well as implemented a standardized immune assay for detection of infection with human papillomavirus, the causative agent of cervical cancer. This assay allowed the first assessment of exposure to this virus in the United States. Expert has worked closely with epidemiologist to facilitate project design and management for the completion of studies related to public health needs. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1996 to 1999 | Employer: Heska Corporation | Title: Research and Development Scientist | Department: Research and Development |
Responsibilities:Expert performed research to define immunological responses to zoonotic etiologic agents using model systems. He also designed and tested experimental vaccines for bacterial diseases. His efforts included the design of vaccine models and support of a vaccine for the control of cat scratch agent (Bartonella). |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1993 to 1996 | Employer: University of Tennessee, Knoxville | Title: Research Associate | Department: Department of Microbiology/Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine |
Responsibilities:He performed research to design and test novel vaccines against Herpes Simplex Virus. He designed and constructed synthetic DNA vaccines for testing in model systems and performed immunological analysis of vaccine trials. He co-authored several manuscripts on the use of novel vaccines including DNA vaccines and bacterial vector vaccines. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1986 to 1988 | Employer: University of South Alabama | Title: Graduate Researcher | Department: Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine |
Responsibilities:He trained as a microbial physiologist working with Salmonella as a model system to define aspects of environmental control of gene expression. He primarily worked with genetic shifts in gene expression due to changes in environmental pH. He identified changes in DNA structure in response to environmental pH stress and described regulons related to this gene expression. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1986 to 1988 | Employer: University of Louisville | Title: Student Researcher | Department: Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences |
Responsibilities:He worked as a research technologist on genetic engineering of microbes for use in bioremediation efforts performed at the University of Louisville. His work included molecular design, molecular cloning, and evaluation and tracking of genetically modified organisms in the environment. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1986 to 1986 | Employer: Pharmacology and Toxicology Research Laboratories | Title: Assistant | Department: Toxicology |
Responsibilities:He assisted in the processing of environmental and clinical samples for toxicological and pharmacological evaluation, including metabolite detection and chemical screening. |
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Government Experience
| Years | Agency | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2003 to Present | Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | Role: Microbiologist | Description: Expert is a senior member of a viral infectious disease laboratory. He oversees an immunology laboratory as well as efforts towards diagnostics development. Aspects of this work include genomic and proteomic evaluation and development of models for immune responses to vaccines and infectious agents, including contagious and zoonotic agents. He has experience with biological containment at levels 3 and 4. |
| Years: 1999 to 2003 | Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | Role: Research Microbiologist | Description: Expert has developed an immunological laboratory for the analysis of human viral infections associated with cancer development. He is also responsible for directing and supervising laboratory efforts to define genetic aspects of chronic diseases. These duties include genomic microarray gene expression studies in an effort to discover novel genetic components of chronic illness. He initiated a unique program for proteomic biomarker discovery for chronic fatigue research as well as implemented a standardized immune assay for detection of infection with human papillomavirus, the causative agent of cervical cancer. This assay allowed the first assessment of exposure to this virus in the United States. (Stone et al. 2002 J. Inf. Dis.) Expert has worked closely with epidemiologist to facilitate project design and management for the completion of studies related to public health needs. |
| Years: 1996 to 1998 | Agency: Heska Corporation in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control | Role: Microbiologist | Description: He was responsible for development of laboratory efforts to define immunological and molecular characteristics of Bartonella infections in humans and zoonotic animal models. Expert’s work supported an effort to develop a vaccine against cat scratch disease. He was successful in publishing work related to this effort as well as in writing several review articles on the subject. |
International Experience
| Years | Country / Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Years: 2000 to 2000 | Country / Region: Barcelona, Spain | Summary: Expert traveled to Spain in the summer of 2000 as part of a research team devoted to molecular and immunological research related to cancer development. |
| Years: 2007 to 2011 | Country / Region: Congo Basin, Africa | Summary: Expert has worked in central Africa on projects to build infrastructure for disease detection. Efforts have including laboratory and surveillance training in country for the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Lab capacity training and on site facilitation have assisted in enhancing the in country capacity to detect and diagnose infectious diseases such as Poxvirus infections. Efforts in these regions continue. |
| Years: to Present | Country / Region: Ghent, Belgium | Summary: Expert participated in a software training course utilizing database and bioinformatic systems designed to perform multivariate analysis of complex data sets. |
| Years: 2004 to Present | Country / Region: Oxford, England | Summary: He participated in an international meeting on iridoviruses including poxvirus research. He presented work related to novel diagnostic assay design using immunological testing as a marker for viral exposure. |
| Years: 2002 to Present | Country / Region: Australia | Summary: Expert traveled to Australia to evaluate a joint project related to chronic disease associated with acute infectious disease being performed at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. The project required travel within Australia to collaborating centers and involved genomic, immunologic and clinical research agendas. |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| Expert is a member of the American Society for Microbiology. |
| Professional Appointments |
|---|
| Served as the associate director for laboratory science for the division of viral and rickettsial diseases at the CDC. |
| Awards / Recognition |
|---|
| Awards for contributions to outbreaks of infectious disease caused by orthopoxvirus |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| Expert has over 75 peer review publications, reviews and book chapters related to infectious disease, immunology and proteomics/genomics. Accomplishments include initiatives for unique data analysis using proteomic approaches for biomarker discovery, immunological assay development and vaccine strategies related to bacterial and viral infectious agents. Expert has had several patent filings for the identification of molecular and immunological markers of infectious disease agents. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| Expert has consulted as a subject matter expert on litigation cases related to infectious disease or medical cases including opinion on feasibility of relationships between cases and infectious time lines, medical applications and practice. He has provided case review reports and deposition. |
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| Expert has given seminars on the laboratory and coordinated response to infectious disease outbreaks. |
| Vendor Selection |
|---|
| He has experience in personnel acquisition/recruiting, equipment purchase, project design, and management for a immunological and proteomic laboratory projects. He also has knowledge in lab automation equipment. |
| Marketing Experience |
|---|
| Expert has experience with intellectual properties personnel involved in invention disclosures and patents. He has been associated with attempts in bringing products to market. These efforts have included the development of vaccines, which have entered clinical trails for USDA approval for elimination of zoonotic transmission of disease and diagnostic testing. He has also participated in development of programs for vaccine evaluation. |
Language Skills
| Language | Proficiency |
|---|---|
| Spanish | Expert has a basic reading ability in Spanish. He also has some limited speaking courses. |
| French | Expert has basic abilities in reading French with some formal coursework. |
Fields of Expertise
biomarker, cytokine, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, epitope, immunology, humoral immunology, microbiology, zoonosis, vaccine development, molecular biology, cloning technique, genetic sequencing, polymerase chain reaction, nucleic acid hybridization, serology, clinical serology, virology, clinical virology, animal vaccine, antigen, antigen synthesis, antigen-antibody interaction, bacterial vaccine, biological defense, biological virus production, blood serum, blood testing, immune serum, immunity, immunization, immunodiagnostics, infectious disease, infectious disease diagnosis, chickenpox, custom speaking, antibody, antibody production, assay, biological virus, disease outbreaks, gene expression regulation, genetic engineering, immunoassay, immunobiology, immunoglobulin, infection prevention, infectious disease control, infectious disease transmission, medical microbiology, microbial genetics, tropical disease, vaccine, medical diagnostic test, cancer immunology, human fatigue, blood borne disease, laboratory automation, DNA fingerprinting, gene therapy vector purification, epitope mapping, microbiology laboratory, immunologic adjuvant, immunomodulation agent, medical laboratory equipment, bacterial physiology, hybrid molecule, microbiological medium, clinical laboratory equipment, immunosuppression, microbiological physiology, agglutination, immunomodulation, infectious disease treatment, comparative immunology, molecular virology, immunofluorescence, applied molecular biology, bloodborne pathogen, clinical microbiology, cellular immunology, clinical immunology, herpesvirus, DNA manipulation, DNA sequencing, microorganism, gene amplification, gene characterization, veterinary virology, rabies, protein sequencing, nuclear biological chemical defense, microbial risk assessment, hybridoma, culture maintenance, chickenpox virus, artificial animal vaccine