1. Michael Valentine, Ph.D.
3190 Perkin Avenue, Ventura CA 93003
mvalentine.mv@gmail.com
404-713-8908
Education
Ph.D. Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center 2015
Advisor: Seth Pincus, M.D.
New Orleans, LA
B.S. Chemistry, North Georgia College and State University 2008
Dahlonega, GA
A.S. Chemistry, Georgia Perimeter College 2006
Lawrenceville, GA
ResearchExperience
HIV establishes persistent viral reservoirs that lead to life-long infection.
Memory CD4 T cells constitute a major, but not sole, reservoir of infection. Animal
models of latent infection are necessary to test reservoir depletion modalities. SIV and
SHIV infected elite controller macaques recapitulate key features of ART induced
clinical latency including undetectable viremia, persistently detectable provirus, and lack
of progression to disease.
The goal of our study was to determine if the reservoir in elite controller
macaques has a similar distribution to humans. We sorted memory and naïve CD4 T-cells
by FACS from the blood, lymph nodes, and gut of elite controller macaques and
quantified infected cells by qPCR. Memory CD4 T cells were the most highly infected on
a per-cell basis. Naïve CD4 cells were infected at a lower rate, but were more abundant
than memory CD4 cells in the blood and lymph tissues. Thus, in contrast to humans, the
proviral reservoir in elite controller macaques includes both memory and naïve CD4 cells.
We also found that the level of 2LTR circles, a form of HIV DNA indicative of recent
infection, were highest in the lymph nodes, suggesting this may be a site of occult
replication.
Employment History
Lab Technician, Centers for Disease Control, Malaria Branch 2008-2010
Managed a large specimen bank for a rapid diagnostic test evaluation project and
performed qPCR to quantify parasite loads. Performed the rapid diagnostic tests, data
entry, and shipping and receiving of samples.
2. ResearchInterests
HIV reservoirs, T-cell memory phenotypes, T-cell signaling, antibody avidity
engineering, antibody humanization, immunogenicity, protein conjugation chemistry,
CD45 protein
Publications
Valentine M, Song K, Maresh GA, Mack H, Huaman MC, et al. (2013) Expression of
the Memory Marker CD45RO on Helper T Cells in Macaques. PLoS ONE 8(9): e73969.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0073969
Conferences andPresentations
Gordon Research Conference, Antibody Engineering. Poster title: “Eradication of Latent
HIV Reservoirs with Antibodies and Immunoconjugates: A Macaque Model and Two
Therapeutic Approaches.” Galveston, TX 2012
The Lancet/Cell Translational Medicine: What will it take to make an AIDS-free world?
Short talk and poster title: “Antibody-mediated depletion of cell subsets carrying
persistent virus in SHIV-infected macaques.” San Francisco, CA 2013
Antibody Engineering and Antibody Therapeutics Meeting. Huntington Beach, CA 2014
Skills and Techniques
Realtime PCR assay design
Gel and capillary electrophoresis
Flow cytometry
Antibody labeling chemistry
Antibody gene sequencing
Antibody engineering and cloning
Cell culture
Pyrogen free antibody production
ELISA development
Western Blot
FPLC
Microsoft Office Suite
Awards
Eagle Scout, Troop 419. Duluth, Georgia 2005
Hope Scholarship 2006-2008
Dean’s List Georgia Perimeter College 2005
References
Seth Pincus, M.D.
Advisor
spincus@chnola-research.org
504-896-9401
Pamela Kozlowski, Ph.D.
Committee chair
pkozlo@lsuhsc.edu
504-568-6956
Alistair Ramsay
Committee member
aramsa@lsuhsc.edu
504-568-8324
John Barnwell, Ph.D.
Supervisor at CDC
Wzb3@cdc.gov
404-718-4420
