Expert Details
Neuroscience, Genetics, Gene Therapy, Biochemistry and Lab Equipment
ID: 725897
Massachusetts, USA
Expert has extensive knowledge of the brain from over 20 years of scientific research to develop gene therapy for neurological disorders, study the cellular and molecular foundations of learning, and develop Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) vectors for gene transfer into neurons. Expert has served as a consultant for several companies interested in neurological disease and has served on the NIH clinical neuroscience and brain tumor (CNBT) study section that reviews grant applications.
Expert has experience with cell culture of many different cell types. During his PhD research, he cultured multiple erythroid and fibroblast cell lines. During his postdoctoral training, he became expert in neural cell culture and preparing primary cultures of neurons. He has extensive experience transfecting or transducing cultured cells with DNA or Herpes Simplex Virus vectors, respectively. He has studied specific signaling pathways, neurotransmitter release, and other physiological processes in cultured cells.
For his studies on learning and gene therapy for cognitive deficits, Expert has expressed recombinant signaling transduction enzymes, and he has studied activation of specific signal transduction pathways. He has expressed recombinant protein kinases, including protein kinase C and others, adenylate cyclase, calcium binding proteins, transcription factors, neurotransmitter receptors, proteins that regulate neurotransmitter release, growth factors and growth factor receptors, neurotrophic factors and their receptors, and others. He has studied the activation of these and other specific signal transduction pathways, using enzyme assays, gene expression assays, immunological techniques including phospho-specific antibodies, neurotransmitter release assays, neurotransmitter receptor binding assays, and other assays.
Expert has broad expertise in gene regulation in both eucaryotes and procaryotes. Expert's formal training was in gene regulation, and his Ph.D. thesis was on the regulation of globin gene expression (globin proteins complex with heme to form hemoglobin). He then developed Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) vectors, which required a detailed knowledge of HSV-1 gene expression, and he was the first to transduce neurons with a virus vector. From his work in the brain, he has extensive knowledge of neural gene regulation and expression. Based on this expertise, Expert has served as a consultant to several companies on gene regulation and gene therapy issues.
Expert published the first gene therapy treatment that corrected a rodent model of Parkinson's disease (Science, 1994), and has collaborated with two companies to further develop this treatment. More recently, Expert developed a gene therapy to correct a rodent model of an aging-induced cognitive deficit. Moreover, Expert pioneered a helper virus-free Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) vector system as a gene therapy platform, and published the first gene transfer into neurons (Science, 1988). Expert has broad knowledge of gene therapy for neurological or hematological disorders, other conditions, and virus vectors as gene therapy platforms, including their side effects.
Expert has extensive experience and expertise in genetic engineering. Expert pioneered a helper virus-free Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) vector system as a gene therapy platform, and published the first gene transfer into neurons (Science, 1988). Furthermore, to increase utility of this vector system, Expert has engineered promoters that support long-term expression, neuron-specific expression, neuron class-specific expression (catecholaminergic, glutamatergic, GABAergic), or regulated expression. Moreover, Expert has engineered HSV-1 vector particles to transfer genes selectively into specific types of neurons. Furthermore, Expert has engineered large (50 kb) HSV-1 vectors, HSV-1 vectors that coexpress multiple (four) genes, or express constitutively active signal transduction enzymes.
Expert's formal training at both the undergraduate and graduate levels was in molecular biology, and Expert has performed molecular biology research throughout his career. Expert has broad expertise in molecular biology, particularly in gene regulation, gene expression, molecular genetics, molecular virology, and signal transduction. Expert is knowledgeable about molecular hematology, as his PhD thesis was on the regulation of globin genes (the protein components of hemoglobin). For over two decades, Expert has led a molecular neurobiology lab: Expert pioneered a helper virus-free HSV-1 vector system, promoters for long-term and cell type specific expression, and application of this gene transfer system to problems in molecular neurobiology, including learning and gene therapy.
For over two decades, Expert has led a molecular neurobiology lab. Expert has extensive experience with gene transfer into neurons, analysis and manipulation of signal transduction pathways in neurons, neuronal gene expression, altering and assaying neurotransmitter biosynthesis and neurotransmitter release, neurotrophic factors and their receptors and signaling, and expressing recombinant signaling enzymes to alter behavior and learning and correct rodent models of neurological diseases.
Expert has broad knowledge of neurological diseases and disorders from developing gene therapy treatments for Parkinson's disease or aging-induced cognitive deficits. Also, Expert has served on an NIH study section that reviews grant applications on a wide range of neurological conditions. Furthermore, Expert was a consultant to several companies developing treatments for neurological conditions.
Expert pioneered a helper virus-free Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) vector system and has broad knowledge of human and mammalian viruses, molecular virology, and viral pathogenesis, particularly in the brain and nervous system. Other herpesviruses, which share properties with HSV-1, and cause human diseases include VZV (shingles), CMV (occular infections and other diseases), Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), and Karposi's Sarcoma Herpes Virus (KSHV). Expert has served on an NIH study section that reviews grant applications on viral infections of the nervous system.
Expert was a consultant to Alkermes Inc (NASDAQ, ALKS).Expert was a consultant to Neurovir.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1979 | Degree: B.S. | Subject: Biology | Institution: MIT |
| Year: 1986 | Degree: PhD | Subject: Molecular Biology | Institution: Stanford Univ. Med. School |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2006 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Associate Professor | Department: Neurology |
Responsibilities:He runs an NIH grant-supported research laboratory in molecular neuroscience that focuses on gene therapy and learning and memory. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2001 to 2006 | Employer: W. Rox VA Hosp/Harvard Med. School | Title: Assistant Professor | Department: Neurology |
Responsibilities:He ran an NIH grant-supported research laboratory in molecular neuroscience that focuses on gene therapy and learning and memory. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1992 to 2001 | Employer: Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School | Title: Assistant Professor | Department: Endocrinology |
Responsibilities:He ran an NIH grant-supported research laboratory in molecular neuroscience that focuses on gene therapy and learning and memory. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1991 to 1992 | Employer: Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School | Title: Instructor | Department: Endocrinology |
Responsibilities:He bega a research laboratory in molecular neuroscience that focuses on gene therapy and learning and memory. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1988 to 1991 | Employer: Dana Farber Cancer Inst./Harvard Medical School | Title: Research Fellow/Associate | Department: Cell Cycle and Regulation |
Responsibilities:Development of a Herpes Simplex Virus vector system for gene transfer into neurons. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1986 to 1988 | Employer: Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School | Title: Research Fellow | Department: Molecular Neurogenetics |
Responsibilities:Development of a Herpes Simplex Virus vector system for gene transfer into neurons. |
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Government Experience
| Years | Agency | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 1999 to 2007 | Agency: NIH | Role: Member NIH BDCN-4 study section | Description: Grant Reviewer |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| AAAS, Soc. Neuroscience |
| Awards / Recognition |
|---|
| Received 8 NIH R01 grants, two are currently active. Member NIH BDCN-4 study section 99-01 & 03-07. Listed in Who's Who in the East. Richard E. Heikkila Research Scholar Award National Parkinson Foundation 1993. Fellowship American Cancer Society 1988. Fellowship American Federation for Aging Research 1987. Graduate Fellowship National Science Foundation 1979. |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
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| He has over 60 original papers, over 20 reviews and book chapters, and 2 patents in HSV-1 vectors, gene therapy, and learning. |
Additional Experience
| Training / Seminars |
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| Expert has presented numerous seminars on gene therapy and learning using HSV-1 vectors. He organized two symposia on these topics: Chair, Symposium on HSV-1 vectors at Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting 1992; Chair, Specialized Workshop on HSV-1 vectors Winter Conference on Brain Research 1992. |
| Vendor Selection |
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| Expert has extensive experience, spanning three decades, purchasing laboratory equipment and supplies form numerous vendors in biomedical research, in areas including molecular biology, tissue culture, animal behavioral testing, histology, and others. |
| Marketing Experience |
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| Expert research focuses on developing gene therapy for Parkinson's disease. Expert has served as a consultant to several biotechnology and gene therapy companies. He has broad expertise about biotech companies, in general. |
| Other Relevant Experience |
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| Expert has over 3 decades of experience in biomedical research and has broad expertise in molecular biology, genetics, virology, neurology/neuroscience, biochemistry and other areas. He is skilled at surveying the biomedical literature, designing research projects, evaluating data from preclinical and clinical studies, and writing scientific papers and grant proposals. Also, he has served as consultant to several biotech companies and as an NIH grant reviewer. |
Fields of Expertise
animal model, brain, cell culture, cellular signal transduction, gene expression regulation, gene therapy, genetic engineering, molecular biology, molecular neurobiology, neurology, virology, motor neuron disease, brain tumor, glycosylation, pharmacogenomics, proteomics, protected amino acid, ribozyme, catalytic antibody, recombinant antibody, allergy, antidepressant drug, ultrasonic cell disruption, genetic disease, phosphodiesterase, DNA assay, neurotoxin, botulinum toxin, lysogeny, mutagenicity, fetal tissue, adenosine monophosphate, triploid cell, ethyl methanesulfonate, beta interferon, viral assay, neuropathology, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cytochrome, animal drug testing, animal research, tissue culture medium, biological oxidation, agar, bacterial physiology, in vitro neurotoxicology, amino acid metabolism, nerve regeneration, sense organ, cell death, cognitive science, pituitary gland, pattern, isoleucine, bioenergetics, medical diagnostic imaging, disease control biochemical, molecular oncology, neurobiology, immunogenetics, microbial genetics, glial cell, human genome, ceramide, cancer research, metabolic engineering, protein post-translational modification, synaptosome isolation, baculovirus, drug development, host resistance, zygote, memory element, transformation, dendrite, spinal column, biological component, biological species, central nervous system, biologic cellular component, DNA sequencing, enzyme engineering, protein chemistry, nucleotide mapping, interferon, polymerase chain reaction, gene, health, organ (anatomy), artificial neural network, tetanus, steroid, sickle-cell anemia, research management, rabies, molecular biophysics, microorganism observation, lipid, influenza virus, immobilized enzyme, histidine, heredity, genetics, enzymology, emphysema, culture maintenance, chickenpox virus, cell physiology, blood coagulation, biophysics, apolipoprotein