Luis J. Montaner,
D.V.M., M.Sc., D.Phil.
Director, HIV-1 Immunopathogenesis Laboratory
Professor, Immunology Program

Gene Therapy and Vaccines Program

Microbiology, Parasitology & Virology Program

Address

The Wistar Institute
3601 Spruce Street
Room 480
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Office tel.: 215.898.9143
Lab tel.: 215.898.3934
Fax: 215.573.9272
E-mail: montaner@wistar.org

Link(s)

Dr. Montaner's Wistar Page

Education

Kansas State University, B.S. 1989

Kansas State University, M.Sc. (Veterinary Pathology) 1991

Kansas State University, D.V.M, Veterinary Medicine, 1991

University of Oxford, UK, D.Phil (Experimental Pathology) 1995

Research Interests

• Our goal is to advance our understanding of innate effector cell biology in HIV-1 infection and following therapy translating findings into hypothesis-driven clinical studies when possible.

Search PubMed for articles

Description of Research

The long-term goal of the Montaner laboratory has been to understand how HIV-1 infection affects immune function and how these pathogenic mechanisms can be corrected or minimized within the therapeutic options available. Specifically, we have focused our efforts on macrophage, dendritic cell and natural killer cell activity in chronic HIV-1 infection while leading in defining immune reconstitution following antiretroviral therapy. Currently we are performing several clinical studies translating our findings into clinical-based studies. Our future directions are focused on determining basic mechanisms of innate effector dysfunction, testing clinical strategies (Philadelphia and Johannesburg/Cape Town South Africa) based on hypothesis generated from patient-based observations of immune reconstitution, and in exploring the interaction between immune reconstitution and co-infection with TB, HCV or HPV.

The work is focused on

1. Regulation of innate effector cells (NK, DC, macrophage) in HIV-1 infection
2. Exploring new therapy management practices via clinical studies
3. Understanding the relationship between immune antiviral responses, innate immune activation and control of HIV-1 infection in vivo
4. Investigation of immune reconstitution in HIV-1 coinfected persons with HCV, HPV or TB
5. Immune reconstitution in pediatric HIV-1 infection

Recent Publications

Montaner, L.J., Crowe, S.M., Aquaro, S., Perno, C.F., Stevenson, M., Collman, R.G. 2006. Advances in macrophage and dendritic cell biology in HIV-1 infection stress key understudied areas in infection, pathogenesis, and analysis of viral reservoirs. J Leukoc Biol. 80(5):961-4. 

Giri, M.S., Nebozhyn, M., Showe, L., Montaner, L.J. 2006. Microarray data on gene modulation by HIV-1 in immune cells: 2000-2006. J Leukoc Biol. 80(5):1031-43. 

Azzoni, L., Chehimi,, J., Zhou, L., Foulkes, A.S., June, R., Maino, V.C., Landay, A., Rinaldo, C., Jacobson, L.P., Montaner, L.J. 2007. Early and delayed benefits of HIV-1 suppression: timeline of recovery of innate immunity effector cells. AIDS. 21(3):293-305. 

Chehimi, J., Azzoni, L., Farabaugh, M., Creer, S.A., Tomescu, C., Hancock, A., Mackiewicz, A., D'Alessandro, L., Ghanekar, S., Foulkes, A.S., Mounzer, K., Kostman, J. and Montaner, L.J. 2007. Baseline viral load and immune activation determine the extent of reconstitution of innate immune effectors in HIV-1-infected subjects undergoing antiretroviral treatment. J Immunol 179: 2642-2650.

Tomescu, C., Chehimi, J., Maino, V.C. and Montaner, L.J. 2007. NK cell lysis of HIV-1-infected autologous CD4 primary T cells: requirement for IFN-mediated NK activation by plasmacytoid dendritic cells. J Immunol 179: 2097-2104.

Lab

Rotation Projects

Please see Dr. Montaner

Lab personnel:

Livio Azzoni, Senior Scientist
Jihed Chehimi, Senior Scientist
Betsy Gekonge, Post-Doctoral Fellow
Jennifer Kardux, Lab Coordinator
Agnes Mackiewicz, Core Facility Manager
Manolis Papasavvas, Staff Scientist
Maria Picone, Database Manager
Andrea Raymond, Post-Doctoral Fellow
Griffin Reynolds, Research Assistant
Brian Ross, Research Assistant
Costin Tomescu, Post-Doctoral Fellow