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
Ryan Handoko
Ryan Handoko is a current medical student at the Yale School of Medicine. A native of southern California, he first ventured to the East Coast for a degree in Applied Math-Biology at Brown University. He then moved on to investigate systems and computational immunology at the Laboratory of Systems Biology, NIAID, NIH. Staying in Washington, DC, he worked in infectious disease research policy with Gryphon Scientific. 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 current medical student at the Yale School of Medicine. A native of southern California, he first ventured to the East Coast for a degree in Applied Math-Biology at Brown University. He then moved on to investigate systems and computational immunology at the Laboratory of Systems Biology, NIAID, NIH. Staying in Washington, DC, he worked in infectious disease research policy with Gryphon Scientific. 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 board certified pediatric neurologist who joined the INHCC team under the mentorship of Dr. Serena Spudich. in 2016 as a clinical research fellow. She spent a year in Bangkok, Thailand assisting with SEARCH studies and evaluating longitudinal cognitive outcomes in children with perinatally-acquired HIV. The results from her research have been published in the Pediatric Journal of Infectious Diseases. Following her time in Thailand, she developed a cohort study on biomarkers and cognitive outcomes in adults living with perinatal HIV in the US. She is currently the recipient of a NIH K23 award and is on faculty at Yale University in the department of neurology, division of neuro-infectious diseases.
Dr. Patel is a board certified pediatric neurologist who joined the INHCC team under the mentorship of Dr. Serena Spudich. in 2016 as a clinical research fellow. She spent a year in Bangkok, Thailand assisting with SEARCH studies and evaluating longitudinal cognitive outcomes in children with perinatally-acquired HIV. The results from her research have been published in the Pediatric Journal of Infectious Diseases. Following her time in Thailand, she developed a cohort study on biomarkers and cognitive outcomes in adults living with perinatal HIV in the US. She is currently the recipient of a NIH K23 award and is on faculty at Yale University in the department of neurology, division of neuro-infectious diseases.
Michael Peluso, MD, MPhil, MHS
Dr. Peluso is a clinical fellow in Infectious Diseases at the University of California-San Francisco Medical Center. He graduated summa cum laude from Columbia University, where he studied neuroscience and evolutionary biology, and subsequently earned an MPhil in Public Health from the University of Cambridge. He graduated cum laude from the Yale School of Medicine, where he began his work with Dr. Spudich and Dr. Valcour as a Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellow and composed his medical school thesis on biological and clinical markers of neuronal injury in primary and chronic HIV-1 infection. As a resident in the Department of Medicine and the Division of Global Health Equity at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dr. Peluso continued to work on studies involving cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of neuroinflammation and neuronal injury in acute HIV infection drawing from the SEARCH cohort. As a fellow at UCSF, he will be an HIV provider at SFGH's Ward 86 and will investigate issues related to HIV persistence, viral reservoirs, and inflammation.
Dr. Peluso is a clinical fellow in Infectious Diseases at the University of California-San Francisco Medical Center. He graduated summa cum laude from Columbia University, where he studied neuroscience and evolutionary biology, and subsequently earned an MPhil in Public Health from the University of Cambridge. He graduated cum laude from the Yale School of Medicine, where he began his work with Dr. Spudich and Dr. Valcour as a Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellow and composed his medical school thesis on biological and clinical markers of neuronal injury in primary and chronic HIV-1 infection. As a resident in the Department of Medicine and the Division of Global Health Equity at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dr. Peluso continued to work on studies involving cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of neuroinflammation and neuronal injury in acute HIV infection drawing from the SEARCH cohort. As a fellow at UCSF, he will be an HIV provider at SFGH's Ward 86 and will investigate issues related to HIV persistence, viral reservoirs, and inflammation.
Ivo N. SahBandar, MD, PhD
Dr. SahBandar is a genetic research scientist at Dr. Lishomwa Ndhlovu’s lab at Hawaii Center for AIDS. She is a virologist who is expanding 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 is a genetic research scientist at Dr. Lishomwa Ndhlovu’s lab at Hawaii Center for AIDS. She is a virologist who is expanding 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.
Julian Weiss
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.
Past Trainees
John Best, MD
Dr. Best is a recent graduate of the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine. He now resides in Philadelphia 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 is investigating biomarkers of immune signaling and activation in acute and chronic HIV infection. In his free time John enjoys cooking and backpacking.
Dr. Best is a recent graduate of the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine. He now resides in Philadelphia 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 is investigating biomarkers of immune signaling and activation in acute and chronic HIV infection. In his free time John enjoys cooking and backpacking.
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. He is interested in infectious diseases of the central nervous system, especially the HIV dynamics between systemic circulation and the CNS.
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. He is interested in infectious diseases of the central nervous system, especially the HIV dynamics between systemic circulation and the CNS.
Michelle Chintanaphol
Michelle recently earned a bachelor’s degree 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. In the fall of 2017, Michelle joined the Spudich Lab to continue research with the SEARCH studies. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities, swimming, and trying new foods.
Michelle recently earned a bachelor’s degree 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. In the fall of 2017, Michelle joined the Spudich Lab to continue research with the SEARCH studies. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities, swimming, and trying new foods.
Michelle D'Antoni, PhD
Dr. Michelle D'Antoni is 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 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 research physician at SEARCH in Thailand and a part-time Masters of Public Health student at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She decided to be a doctor because of her interest in Neurology and is trained in Internal Medicine with clinical and research experience in Neurology. 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 in Thailand. In her free time, she enjoys traveling for triathlons.
Dr. Goh is a Singaporean research physician at SEARCH in Thailand and a part-time Masters of Public Health student at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She decided to be a doctor because of her interest in Neurology and is trained in Internal Medicine with clinical and research experience in Neurology. 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 in Thailand. In her free time, she enjoys traveling for triathlons.
Joanna Hellmuth, MD, MHS
Dr. Hellmuth is a board certified neurologist with a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health who joined the Valcour lab in 2014 as a clinical fellow. In addition to her interests in neuroHIV and behavioral neurology, she has focused on developing capacity and improving neurologic care in under-resourced contexts, having spent six months in rural Haiti working alongside local physicians through the organization Partners in Health. She studies HIV-related cognitive changes and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco.
Dr. Hellmuth is a board certified neurologist with a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health who joined the Valcour lab in 2014 as a clinical fellow. In addition to her interests in neuroHIV and behavioral neurology, she has focused on developing capacity and improving neurologic care in under-resourced contexts, having spent six months in rural Haiti working alongside local physicians through the organization Partners in Health. She studies HIV-related cognitive changes and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco.
Idil Kore, MD
Dr. Kore graduated from Yale School of Medicine and is currently an internal medicine resident at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, MA . She graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Global Health & Health Policy. In the summer of 2012, she worked in Bangkok on a project 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. After residency, she will be joining the faculty in the Division of General Medicine at Emory University.
Dr. Kore graduated from Yale School of Medicine and is currently an internal medicine resident at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, MA . She graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Global Health & Health Policy. In the summer of 2012, she worked in Bangkok on a project 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. After residency, she will be joining the faculty in the Division of General Medicine at Emory University.
Andrew Silverman
Andrew is a medical student at Yale and is interested in neurology and infectious disease. Under the mentorship of Dr. Serena Spudich, 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 medical student at Yale and is interested in neurology and infectious disease. Under the mentorship of Dr. Serena Spudich, 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
