The International NeuroHIV Cure Consortium is proud to provide opportunities for junior researchers to be involved in our work. Below is a list of trainees who have been instrumentally involved in our research.
Current Trainees
Julian Weiss, BS
Julian Weiss is a medical student at the Yale School of Medicine interested in understanding inflammation and immune activity manifestations in disease. Originally from Washington DC, he studied Molecular Biology at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. He then spent two years in Boston at Massachusetts General Hospital working on clinical research studies investigating endocrine disorders in both HIV and non-HIV populations. He joined the Spudich Lab to further explore the effects and mechanisms of inflammation and immune activity in HIV infection. Currently, he is involved in studies on CSF biomarkers in acute HIV infection, and PET neuroimaging in individuals with chronic well-controlled HIV.
Julian Weiss is a medical student at the Yale School of Medicine interested in understanding inflammation and immune activity manifestations in disease. Originally from Washington DC, he studied Molecular Biology at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. He then spent two years in Boston at Massachusetts General Hospital working on clinical research studies investigating endocrine disorders in both HIV and non-HIV populations. He joined the Spudich Lab to further explore the effects and mechanisms of inflammation and immune activity in HIV infection. Currently, he is involved in studies on CSF biomarkers in acute HIV infection, and PET neuroimaging in individuals with chronic well-controlled HIV.
Andrew Belden, PhD
Dr. Andy Belden is an Associate Professor at the Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH) and a statistician in Dr. Robert Paul’s lab. Dr. Belden earned his PhD in Experimental Psychology from St Louis University then completed 3 years of NIMH postdoctoral fellowship training in psychiatric epidemiology, translational affective neuroscience, and biostatistics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. For more than a decade he has conducted research examining the etiology, course, and outcomes of mental illness in relation to typical vs. atypical trajectories of neurodevelopment (i.e., maturation of brain structure, function, and connections). Most recently, his research has focused on examining trajectories of the dynamic interplay between neurobiology, immunology, and depression symptomatology in acutely infected HIV populations
Dr. Andy Belden is an Associate Professor at the Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH) and a statistician in Dr. Robert Paul’s lab. Dr. Belden earned his PhD in Experimental Psychology from St Louis University then completed 3 years of NIMH postdoctoral fellowship training in psychiatric epidemiology, translational affective neuroscience, and biostatistics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. For more than a decade he has conducted research examining the etiology, course, and outcomes of mental illness in relation to typical vs. atypical trajectories of neurodevelopment (i.e., maturation of brain structure, function, and connections). Most recently, his research has focused on examining trajectories of the dynamic interplay between neurobiology, immunology, and depression symptomatology in acutely infected HIV populations
Michael Peluso, MD, MPhil, MHS
Dr. Peluso is a clinical fellow in Infectious Diseases at the University of California-San Francisco Medical Center. A summa cum laude neuroscience and evolutionary biology Columbia University graduate, he went on to earn an MPhil in Public Health from the University of Cambridge and graduated cum laude from the Yale School of Medicine, while working with Dr. Spudich and Dr. Valcour as a Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellow. His scientific interests involve the pathogenesis of HIV infection, focusing on the mechanisms by which HIV persists despite uninterrupted treatment and improving the management &/or elimination of HIV reservoirs to reduce or eliminate the need for lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Dr. Peluso is a clinical fellow in Infectious Diseases at the University of California-San Francisco Medical Center. A summa cum laude neuroscience and evolutionary biology Columbia University graduate, he went on to earn an MPhil in Public Health from the University of Cambridge and graduated cum laude from the Yale School of Medicine, while working with Dr. Spudich and Dr. Valcour as a Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellow. His scientific interests involve the pathogenesis of HIV infection, focusing on the mechanisms by which HIV persists despite uninterrupted treatment and improving the management &/or elimination of HIV reservoirs to reduce or eliminate the need for lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Gunn Pungpapong, Student Research Assistant
Gunn (Te) Pungpapong recently completed Year 13 at Winchester College, England and is interested in pursuing a career in medicine and medical research. He plans to attend the Imperial College London School of Medicine, starting in October 2021, after considering offers from several UK medical schools. He has conducted research on adolescent mental health status during the COVID-19 lock-down, identifying increased prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as significantly associated factors such as changes in substance use patterns. He presented his findings to the INHCC in 2020 and also joined the Spudich Lab. Currently, he is investigating correlations between HIV peripheral blood mononuclear cell DNA levels and neurologic outcomes, examining parameters such as CNS inflammation and neuropsychological performance.
Gunn (Te) Pungpapong recently completed Year 13 at Winchester College, England and is interested in pursuing a career in medicine and medical research. He plans to attend the Imperial College London School of Medicine, starting in October 2021, after considering offers from several UK medical schools. He has conducted research on adolescent mental health status during the COVID-19 lock-down, identifying increased prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as significantly associated factors such as changes in substance use patterns. He presented his findings to the INHCC in 2020 and also joined the Spudich Lab. Currently, he is investigating correlations between HIV peripheral blood mononuclear cell DNA levels and neurologic outcomes, examining parameters such as CNS inflammation and neuropsychological performance.
Past Trainees
Ivo N. SahBandar, MD, PhD
Dr. SahBandar is a new resident in New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center's Pathology Program. Dr SahBandar served as a genetic research scientist and senior research associate at Weill Cornell Medical College in Dr. Lishomwa Ndhlovu’s lab, where she expanded her research towards understanding the immunogenetic relationship of monocyte and T cell HIV infection and HIV eradication. Dr. SahBandar received her medical degree and internal medicine residency and infectious disease training from the University of Indonesia. She completed her PhD in virology at Iwate Medical University in Japan, focusing on HIV genetics and vaccine development. Dr SahBandar also worked in the Ndhlovu Lab at the University of Hawaii prior to joining in his move to Weill Cornell in New York.
Dr. SahBandar is a new resident in New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center's Pathology Program. Dr SahBandar served as a genetic research scientist and senior research associate at Weill Cornell Medical College in Dr. Lishomwa Ndhlovu’s lab, where she expanded her research towards understanding the immunogenetic relationship of monocyte and T cell HIV infection and HIV eradication. Dr. SahBandar received her medical degree and internal medicine residency and infectious disease training from the University of Indonesia. She completed her PhD in virology at Iwate Medical University in Japan, focusing on HIV genetics and vaccine development. Dr SahBandar also worked in the Ndhlovu Lab at the University of Hawaii prior to joining in his move to Weill Cornell in New York.
John Best, MD
Dr. Best is a graduate of the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine and is a neurology resident at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. John has spent multiple years living, studying and working in Asia, predominantly in China. Under the mentorship of Dr. Victor Valcour’s lab and the support of the SEARCH office in Thailand, he investigated biomarkers of immune signaling and activation in acute and chronic HIV infection.
Dr. Best is a graduate of the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine and is a neurology resident at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. John has spent multiple years living, studying and working in Asia, predominantly in China. Under the mentorship of Dr. Victor Valcour’s lab and the support of the SEARCH office in Thailand, he investigated biomarkers of immune signaling and activation in acute and chronic HIV infection.
Ryan Handoko, MD
Ryan Handoko is a pediatric specialist who completed his residency at Johns Hopkins after receiving his medical degree at Yale School of Medicine. With an interest in immunology and infectious diseases, Ryan entered medical school in 2016 and joined the Spudich Lab to investigate predictors and clinical parameters associated with poor immunological response as well as the frequency of CSF HIV escape after treatment in acute HIV infection.
Ryan Handoko is a pediatric specialist who completed his residency at Johns Hopkins after receiving his medical degree at Yale School of Medicine. With an interest in immunology and infectious diseases, Ryan entered medical school in 2016 and joined the Spudich Lab to investigate predictors and clinical parameters associated with poor immunological response as well as the frequency of CSF HIV escape after treatment in acute HIV infection.
Payal Patel, MD
Dr. Patel is a pediatric neurologist and Assistant Professor at U of Washington. She completed her clinical and research fellowship at Yale under the guidance of Dr. Serena Spudich and through the generosity of many research participants and collaborators. Her research focuses on understanding the impact of HIV and other inflammatory conditions on the developing brain. She is a part of ongoing pediatric HIV cohort studies (PREDICT and RESILIENCE) in Thailand and Cambodia..
Dr. Patel is a pediatric neurologist and Assistant Professor at U of Washington. She completed her clinical and research fellowship at Yale under the guidance of Dr. Serena Spudich and through the generosity of many research participants and collaborators. Her research focuses on understanding the impact of HIV and other inflammatory conditions on the developing brain. She is a part of ongoing pediatric HIV cohort studies (PREDICT and RESILIENCE) in Thailand and Cambodia..
Phillip Chan, MD
Dr. Chan is a research physician at SEARCH in Thailand. He graduated from the medical school of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and has worked in public hospitals since. He trained in internal medicine and completed fellowships in Neurology, joining SEARCH in October 2015. Phillip is a Collaborator with INHCC.
Dr. Chan is a research physician at SEARCH in Thailand. He graduated from the medical school of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and has worked in public hospitals since. He trained in internal medicine and completed fellowships in Neurology, joining SEARCH in October 2015. Phillip is a Collaborator with INHCC.
Michelle Chintanaphol
Michelle received her BS in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Yale, where she completed her thesis on vascular endothelial cell and neural stem cell interaction in the subventricular zone niche. She previously worked with the SEARCH010 acute HIV cohort in Bangkok, Thailand, focusing on the safety of optional invasive procedures offered to research participants. Michelle is a med student at U of Tennessee.
Michelle received her BS in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Yale, where she completed her thesis on vascular endothelial cell and neural stem cell interaction in the subventricular zone niche. She previously worked with the SEARCH010 acute HIV cohort in Bangkok, Thailand, focusing on the safety of optional invasive procedures offered to research participants. Michelle is a med student at U of Tennessee.
Michelle D'Antoni, PhD
Dr. Michelle D'Antoni is a Clinical Virologist at Gilead Sciences after serving as a research scientist in the laboratory of Dr. Lishomwa Ndhlovu. She is an immunologist focusing on the role of monocytes in HIV-related co-morbidities. Dr. D'Antoni completed her PhD at McGill University, with a focus on the effect of extracellular matrix on smooth muscle cells in the context of asthma.
Dr. Michelle D'Antoni is a Clinical Virologist at Gilead Sciences after serving as a research scientist in the laboratory of Dr. Lishomwa Ndhlovu. She is an immunologist focusing on the role of monocytes in HIV-related co-morbidities. Dr. D'Antoni completed her PhD at McGill University, with a focus on the effect of extracellular matrix on smooth muscle cells in the context of asthma.
Orlanda Goh, MD
Dr. Goh is a Singaporean is a medical doctor in Singapore and was a research physician at SEARCH in Thailand. Her research interests are in comparative effectiveness research and health outcomes evaluation. A passionate advocate for health equity, she is also actively involved in clinical consultation and health financing research for vulnerable populations.
Dr. Goh is a Singaporean is a medical doctor in Singapore and was a research physician at SEARCH in Thailand. Her research interests are in comparative effectiveness research and health outcomes evaluation. A passionate advocate for health equity, she is also actively involved in clinical consultation and health financing research for vulnerable populations.
Joanna Hellmuth, MD, MHS
Dr. Hellmuth is a neurologist with sub-specialty training in cognitive and behavioral neurology and Assistant Professor at UCSF, who joined the Valcour lab in 2014 as a clinical fellow. Dr. Hellmuth's research interests are unraveling the neuroimmunologic mechanisms of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) to develop effective treatments and interventions.
Dr. Hellmuth is a neurologist with sub-specialty training in cognitive and behavioral neurology and Assistant Professor at UCSF, who joined the Valcour lab in 2014 as a clinical fellow. Dr. Hellmuth's research interests are unraveling the neuroimmunologic mechanisms of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) to develop effective treatments and interventions.
Idil Kore, MD
Dr. Kore is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia. She graduated Yale School of Medicine. In the summer of 2012, she worked in Bangkok identifying neuropsychological testing impairment among acute infection subjects in SEARCH 010. This data, since published in JAIDS, was presented as a platform presentation at the 2013 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections and the 6th International Symposium on Neuropsychiatry.
Dr. Kore is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia. She graduated Yale School of Medicine. In the summer of 2012, she worked in Bangkok identifying neuropsychological testing impairment among acute infection subjects in SEARCH 010. This data, since published in JAIDS, was presented as a platform presentation at the 2013 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections and the 6th International Symposium on Neuropsychiatry.
Andrew Silverman, MD
Andrew is a pediatric resident at Stanford School of Medicine. As a medical student at Yale,, Andrew traveled to Bangkok to help with ongoing research projects at SEARCH. In particular, he is interested in neurologic signs and symptoms of men vs. women chronically infected with HIV.
Andrew is a pediatric resident at Stanford School of Medicine. As a medical student at Yale,, Andrew traveled to Bangkok to help with ongoing research projects at SEARCH. In particular, he is interested in neurologic signs and symptoms of men vs. women chronically infected with HIV.
Apirada (Ann) Rakpraja, MD
