Vaccines, Immunology and Clinical Trials

Charles J Malemud is Associate Director of the Rheumatology Fellowship Training Program at University Hospitals Case Medical Center Professor of Medicine Anatomy Division of Rheumatic Diseases Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Cleveland Ohio. He received the Ph.D. in Experimental Pathology from the Department of Biology at George Washington University Washington DC 1969-1973. He completed his BS in Biology at Long Island University 1966. He was elected to James Shannon Award Who´s Who in Healthcare and Medicine. He is serving as an editorial board member of 9 reputed journals and a peer-reviewer for numerous scientific journals. He has published a total of over 300 peer-reviewed papers abstracts and book chapters.

Biology of the Musculoskeletal System
Intracellular Signal Transduction Pathways Inflammation
Pro-inflammatory, Anti-Inflammatory & Anabolic Cytokines
Apoptosis
Matrix metalloproteinases
Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Autoimmune Disorders

Timothy B. Niewold is an Chairman of the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCiS) Centers of Excellence, 2012-2015 Scientific Advisory Board Member, American College of Rheumatology Research and Education Foundation, 2012-2013 Medical-Scientific Advisory Council Member, Lupus Foundation of America, 2011-present Advisory Editor, Arthritis and Rheumatism Journal, 2010-2013 Associate Scientific Advisor, Science Translational Medicine Journal, 2011-2012

Type I interferon in autoimmune diseases
Heterogeneity in the molecular pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases
Genetic basis of lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus)

Jeffrey Isenberg earned his Bachelor’s at the University of Pennsylvania and completed his medical training at Tulane University School of Medicine, where he simultaneously earned a Masters of Public Health. He interned at Roosevelt-St. Luke’s Hospital and completed general surgery training at Staten Island University Hospital. He further specialized in reconstructive, hand and microsurgery with fellowship training at Yale University, the University of Connecticut and the University of Southern California. He then completed a post-doctoral research fellowship in the Laboratory of Pathology of the NCI, NIH funded by a Cancer Research Fellow Training Award. He worked as areconstructive microsurgeon

Enhancement of tissue blood flow, perfusion and wound healing and stem.

Deepak Shukla has received his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) during the period of 1990-1996. Currently, he is working as the Marion Schenk Esq. Professor of Ocular Virology in the Departments of Ophthalmology &Visual Sciences and Microbiology & Immunology at UIC College of Medicine in Chicago, IL. He is also the Director of Ocular Virology Laboratory at UIC. He serves on the editorial boards of prestigious journals, has been a regular reviewer for over a dozen reputed scientific journals, and has authored over 50 peer-reviewed papers including publications in top rated journals such as Cell, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Journal of Cell Biology, Journal of Biological Chemistry etc. He has also written two book chapters and holds two international patents for his discoveries. He was the lead discoverer of 3-O sulfated heparan sulfate as the host cell membrane receptor for herpes simplex virus. He has received outstanding research awards from many organizations including American Herpes Foundation, Research to Prevent Blindness Inc. an

Cell biology of virus entry into human cells
Host cell membrane receptors for viruses such as herpes viruses.
Membrane receptors and membrane morphology facilitate viral infections.
Research on heparan sulfate proteoglycans
Studies on HVEM, a member of tumor necrosis factor receptor family and nectin-1 and a member of immunoglobulin superfamily.

Michael G. Hanna is the founder of Vaccinogen and the discoverer and developer of OncoVAX® an autologous vaccine designed to provoke a specific immune response against colon cancer cells. His previous accomplishments include Chairman (Emeritus) and Chief Scientific Officer of Intracel Resources, Chief Operating Officer of Organon Teknika/Biotechnology Research Institute and Sr. Vice President of Organon Teknika Corporation. Prior to that (1975-1982) Michael G. Hanna was Director of the National Cancer Institute, Frederick Cancer Research Center. OncoVAX® is an autologous vaccine designed to provoke a specific immune response against colon cancer cells. The product is comprised of irradiated tumor cells obtained from the patient after surgery and it is administered along with the BCG vaccine. Vaccinogen believes OncoVAX® is the first product to show a significant reduction in recurrence of disease in Stage II colon cancer patients in a major, long-term clinical trial. Except for surgery, there is no medically accepted treatment for Stage II colon cancer. Trials using adjuvant chemotherapy have not demonstrated any patient benefit to date. He led the team that achieved FDA regulatory approval of TICE BCG for treatment of carcinoma in situ (CIS) bladder cancer. Worldwide registration was achieved in 1991 and it is standard of care for prophylaxis of recurrence of superficial bladder cancer and therapy of CIS. He received a doctoral degree in experimental pathology and immunology from the University of Tennessee. He has over 225 publications to his credit, has 11 patents in immunotherapy and has been the recipient of numerous honors, and served on many editorial boards

Vaccinogen, Inc.,
USA

Kota. V Ramana is a Professor at Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. He has received a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India in 1998. The chief objective of his investigations is to examine the involvement of oxidative stress signals in inflammation and to delineate the role of aldose reductase in the pathways used by activated macrophages and monocytes to control inflammation. He uses various genetic biochemical and cell biological approaches to analyze inflammatory responses regulated by aldose reductase in various inflammatory pathologies such as sepsis uveitis asthma and cancer. He is serving as an editorial board member of 6 other journals and reviewer of several journals.

Signal transduction in immune cells
Oxidative stress signaling in inflammatory complications
Role of polyol pathway enzymes in inflammatory pathologies

Jianfei Yang is a senior scientist and a project leader in the Th17/Treg cell company at Tempero Pharmaceuticals, a GSK company. He received a Ph.D. in Pathology from Niigata University School of Medicine in Japan in 1997. He then obtained postdoctoral training in Ken Murphy’s lab at HHMI and Washington University School of Medicine. In the past 15 years, he has been studying the role of CD4+ T helper cells in immunity and diseases. He has 10 years of experience in autoimmune disease research and pharmaceutical drug development. He has published numerous papers and patents. Currently, he is interested in targeting Th17 and/or Treg cells for the treatment of immunological diseases. He has published more than 100 technical papers in international conferences and journals.

Visual signal processing and multimedia networking.

Carina Venter is currently appointed as a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Portsmouth where she is doing a Post Doc in the area of Food Hypersensitivity (FHS). She recently completed her Ph.D. from the University of Southampton investigating the prevalence and incidence of FHS in childhood. She is also working as a Senior Dietitian at The David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre where she sees adult and paediatric patients, as well as taking part in research.Carina graduated as a dietitian in South Africa in 1993. In 1997 she moved to the United Kingdom and worked at the Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Cold field before moving to the Isle of Wight. Her research career in Food Hypersensitivity started at the David Hide Centre followed by studying the Postgraduate Diploma in the Mechanisms and Management of Allergic Disease at the University of Southampton and she now lectures in this course. Carina is a member of the advisory board of Allergy. UK and deals regularly with nutritional queries from members of the public. She is also a member of the European Academy for Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology, American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology and the British Dietetic Association as well as the UK representative of the American Overseas Dietetic Association. She has had a number of publications in international journals and has authored book chapters in FHS.

Food allergy, and food hypersensitivity

Ruo-Pan Huang is a founder and CEO of RayBiotech, Inc. and adjunct Associate Professor of Emory University. As a pioneer in the development of protein array technology, he and his team have developed many innovative protein array technologies and products which now are widely used worldwide by many investigators. He has published about 100 scientific research papers. He also serves on the editorial board of several journals such as Cancer Genomics and Proteomics, journal of analytical oncology and open journal of proteomics and on several other committees, including an NIH study section and Chinese National Natural Science Fund. His research has been funded by NIH, ACS, Emory University and others. During his tenure, he has received several awards, including the American Cancer Society Young Investigator Award.

Ray Biotech, Inc
USA

Sergei A. Grando is a board-certified dermatologist with more than 30 years experience. He is a leading expert and researcher in eczema and other autoimmune blistering diseases. He is conducting a clinical trial for the treatment of pemphigus with a non-hormonal medication. Grando has published more than 225 papers, monographs and book chapters, and has been awarded numerous research grants from the National Institutes of Health and other funding agencies. He was awarded as a Doctor of the Year, 2010, International Pemphigus and Pemphigoid Foundation and Vice Chair, a medical advisory board of the International Pemphigus and Pemphigoid Foundation. His Academic Distinctions includes 2010- present Vice Chair, Medical Advisory Board of International Pemphigus and Pemphigoid Foundation 2005-Honorary Chair for California, NRCC Physicians’ Advisory Board. 2004- Vice Chair, Dermatology Foundation of California 2002-present Honorary Member Ukrainian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists, Cosmetologists, Ukraine 2001-Clinical Innovator Award, Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute, USA 1995-FIRST Award, NIH, NIAMS, USA and He have 250 publications.

University of California
USA

Jagat R. Kanwar is an immunologist and molecular biochemist with an international reputation in investigating fundamental and applied molecular aspects of cancer and chronic inflammation. He did his Ph.D. from Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. Before joining Deakin University in 2006, he was a Senior Scientist/Senior Research Fellow in the University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. During the past decade his research both academic and commercial has centered on understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms and/or finding treatments for a variety of chronic inflammatory diseases and different types of cancer. Kanwar has published 55 research articles, 12 invited reviews and 5 book chapters, in highly ranked, international, peer-reviewed journals. These publications have added to the body of knowledge in the fields of immunology, cancer gene therapy, nanomedicine, cell biology and biotechnology, and have extended these disciplines. He is a key inventor on 9 international patents and has provided consultancy to 5 Biotechnology based companies. He is a member of editorial board for 7 international journals and a nominated member of more than 12 national and international societies including American Society of Nanomedicine. He has extensive and close collaborations with colleagues from New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, India, China and USA.

Nanotechnology based drug delivery of proteins/peptides, siRNA and miRNA to target cancer and chronic inflammation.
Drug discovery for novel anticancer targets for cancer cell survival, death, arrest, and repair.
Development of immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory bioactives, proteins and peptides for neuroprotection.
Development of complementary alternative medicine from the milk derived proteins including metal binding protein Lactoferrin, and herbal preparation derived active components with a special focus on the treatment of solid tumours colon and breast cancers.

Kenneth K. Wu is a Distinguished Chair Professor, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taiwan. Currently he is President, Distinguished Investigator and Acting Director for National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan. He received SANOFI Prize, SANOFI Association for Thrombosis Research and International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis in 1997. Previously he is Member in American Association of Physicians in 1997. He has number of publications in reputed journals.

Prostaglandin and nitric oxide synthesis and biological activities
Haemostatic and genetic risk of arterial thrombosis.
Identification and purification of endogenesis factors that central cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in proliferating cells, elucidation of mechanisms by which salicylate inhibits transcriptional activation, and the novel actions of prostaglandins on adult cell and embryonic stem cell survival, differentiation and proliferation.

Jianguo Liu has completed his postdoctoral training at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He is currently tenured associate professor at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. He has published more than 40 peer-reviewed papers in reputed journals, serves on editorial boards of biomedical journals and as ad-hoc reviewer for many reputed scientific journals.

His primary research interest focuses on the interaction between cytokines produced in macrophages/DCs and T cell development in tumors and autoimmune diseases.

Kaihong Su obtained her doctorate degree and post-doctoral training from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). After being a faculty member at UAB for 5 years, she joined the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2008 to continue her research. The long-term goal of her lab is to understand the molecular mechanisms for autoimmune diseases, including SLE and RA. She has published 26 papers in reputed journals and served as ad-hoc reviewer for a number of scientific journals.

Immunology
autoimmune diseases
autoantibodies and neutrophils

Lijuan Yuan has received Ph.D. in Immunology and Virology, 1996-2000. Food Animal Health Research Program, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center OARDC, The Ohio State University. She was honored with Pfizer award at veterinary college´s 2011 Research Symposium. Currently, she held a position as Assistant Professor, Virology and Immunology. Center for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA.

Pathogenesis and innate and adaptive immune responses induced by enteric viruses (i.e. norovirus and rotavirus) in gnotobiotic pig models of human enteric virus infection and diseases, mechanism of immune modulation by probiotics,
The development of safer and more effective vaccines against viral gastroenteritis

Under the supervision of Dr. Aaron B. Waxman and Dr. Charles A. Hales, has been focused on understanding the mechanisms of acute lung injury against fungal and viral infections and non-infections. After completion of his postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School, he joined as an assistant professor in the Nanomedicine Research Center-Division of Allergy and Immunology, Internal Medicine at University of south florida. He has published many peer-reviewed papers in top journals such as Journal of Immunology and Circulation research. He serves as a reviewer for numerous medical and pharmacological journals. His current research is funded by National Institute of Heath RO1 and American Heart Association.

Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs) and Danger-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs);
viral and fungal infections of the lung;
pulmonary hemorrhage syndrome associated with dengue fever; and lung injury.

Esma S. Yolcu is Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Director of Imaging Facility at the Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, and member of James Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY. After receiving her Ph.D. from University of Ankara, Turkey, she joined the Institute for Cellular Therapeutics at the University of Louisville to pursue her postdoctoral training followed by promotion to a faculty position in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Her research focuses on the modulation of the immune system for the treatment of autoimmunity and graft rejection. Her work has been funded by various federal and nonfederal funding agencies, including NIH, American Heart Association, and American Diabetes Association. She is the recipient of several awards, member of various national and international societies, serves on Editorial Board of two scientific journals, and published over 67 peer-reviewed papers, abstracts, and review articles in high ranking journals, such as Immunity, Circulation, and Journal of Immunology.

Transplantation tolerance
bone marrow transplantation,
type 1 diabetes,
apoptosis graft versus host diseases,
Islet transplantation and heart transplantation

Jiansong Tong, is a research associate from Department of Cell Biology in The Scripps Research Institute at La Jolla, CA. He got his Ph.D. degree from Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology in Iowa State University at Ames, IA in 2009. He completed his MS in Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2004 and my BS in Sichuan University in 2001. He has published four research papers on peer-reviewed scientific journals such as PNAS, JBC etc. Currently, he is a reviewer for several journals including Journal of Molecular Biology, Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Journal of Cancer Science etc.

Autoimmune response, inflammation signaling pathway, and TLR receptor