manuel llano m.d., ph.d. - hb2504.utep.edu
TRANSCRIPT
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March 1. 2020 Dear members of the selection committee,
I am a tenured Associate Professor with over twenty years of expertise in basic research in virology and
immunology acquired in culturally diverse settings including laboratories in Cuba, Sweden, Spain, and USA. I
have published over 50 research articles, some of them in top peer-review journals such as Science, PNAS,
Nature Medicine, PLOS Pathogens, JBC, etc. In the last 12 years I have secured over 3.2 million dollars in
federal research funds, have taught over 3,000 students, graduated seven Ph.D. and four M.S. students, and
served in a variety of committees at the Department, College, and University levels.
Below is a copy of my CV. In order to facilitate your work I have included the page numbers that describe
my accomplishments in aspects that are central for your department.
RESEARCH (pages 3-13)
Contribution to Science: Pages 3-5
Secured Federal Research Funds: Pages 6-7
Publications: Pages 8-14
TEACHING AND MENTORING (pages 15-20)
Mentoring undergraduate and/or graduate research students: Pages 15-17
Curriculum development and developing interdisciplinary degree programs: Pages 16-18
Developing and implementing service learning and experiential learning in curricular and co-curricular
settings: Page 18
Promoting and marketing academic programs in the Biology sector: Page 19
SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP (pages 21-23)
Faculty and Post-doc Mentoring: Page 21
Building and supervising student organizations: Page 21
REFERENCES (pages 24-25)
Best regards,
Manuel Llano, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Texas at El Paso
email: [email protected]
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Manuel Llano M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor (Tenured)
Biological Sciences Department
The University of Texas at El Paso CONTACT INFORMATION
Office Address: Biosciences Building. Room 3144. 500 University Ave. El Paso, TX, 79968
Phone: 915-342-4898 (Cell phone). 915-747-6941 (Office).
Email: [email protected]
EDUCATION
Ph. D., Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Spain, 2000. Major: Molecular Biology
Residency in Clinical Biochemistry, Universidad de La Habana, School of Medicine, Cuba, 1992.
M.D., Universidad de La Habana, School of Medicine, Cuba, 1987.
POSITIONS
2000-2006: Research Associate, Molecular Medicine Department, Mayo Clinic. Rochester, MN.
2006-2012: Assistant Professor (tenure track), Biological Sciences Department, The University of
Texas at El Paso. El Paso, TX.
2012-present: Associate Professor (tenure), Biological Sciences Department, The University of Texas
at El Paso. El Paso, TX.
HONORS (last ten years)
2016: Outstanding Performance Award. Research and Sponsored Programs. The University of Texas
at El Paso
2012: Outstanding Performance Award. Research and Sponsored Programs. The University of Texas
at El Paso
2008: Outstanding Performance Award. Research and Sponsored Programs. The University of Texas
at El Paso
SUMMARY
I am a tenured Associate Professor with over twenty years of expertise in basic research in virology and
immunology acquired in culturally diverse settings including laboratories in Cuba, Sweden, Spain, and USA. I
have published over 50 research articles, some of them in top peer-review journals such as Science, PNAS,
Nature Medicine, PLOS Pathogens, JBC, etc. In the last 12 years I have secured over 3.2 million dollars in
federal research funds, have taught over 3,000 students, graduated seven Ph.D. and four M.S. students, and
served in a variety of committees at the Department, College, and University levels.
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RESEARCH
CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENCE
1. Fundamental role of HLA-E in the regulation of natural killer (NK) cells through the interaction with
CD94/NKG2 receptors. Functional regulation of NK cells occurs through the interaction of HLA class I
molecules in target cells and inhibitory or activatory receptors on the NK cell. The most abundant of these
receptors is formed by association of CD94 with different members of NKG2 forming activatory and
inhibitory receptors. At the time that I started my Ph.D. training in the laboratory of Miguel Lopez-Botet,
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, CD94/NKG2 receptors were considered to functionally interact with a
broad group of HLA class I molecules, including several members of the three classical HLA class I
molecules and also the non-classical class I molecule HLA-G. My research completely changed this
parading by identifying HLA-E as the sole ligand for the CD94/NKG2 receptors (Published in Proc. Natl.
Acad. Sci. U.S.A). In addition, these findings identified a sensing mechanism that mine and other’s work
have demonstrated is exploited by pathogenic viruses to evade NK cells recognition. During my tenure at
the Lopez-Botet lab, I also evidenced the functional relevance of HLA-E-bound peptides in the interaction
with CD94/NKG2.
Selected publications
1. Lee N.&; Llano M.&; Carretero M.; Ishitani A.; Navarro F.; Lopez-Botet M., Geraghty D. HLA-E is a major
ligand for the natural killer inhibitory receptor CD94/NKG2A. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 95:5199-5204,
1998. & shared first authorship.
2. Llano M.; Lee N.; Navarro F.; Garcia P.; Albar J.P.; Geraghty D.E., Lopez-Botet M. HLA-E-bound peptides
influence recognition by inhibitory and triggering CD94/NKG2 receptors: preferential response to an HLA-G-
derived nonamer. Eur. J. Immunol. 28:2854-2863, 1998.
3. Garcia P., Llano M., de Heredia A.B., Willberg C.B., Caparros E., Aparicio P., Braud V.M., Lopez-Botet M.
Human T cell receptor-mediated recognition of HLA-E. Eur. J. Immunol. 32:936-944, 2002.
4. Llano M., Guma M., Ortega M., Angulo A., Lopez-Botet M. Differential effects of US2, US6 and US11
human cytomegalovirus proteins on HLA class Ia and HLA-E expression: impact on target susceptibility to
NK cell subsets. Eur J Immunol. 33:2744-2754, 2003.
2. Fundamental role of LEDGF/p75 in HIV-1 DNA integration and integration site selection. Between
2000 and 2006, I was a Research Associate at the laboratory of Eric Poeschla, Mayo Clinic, leading a
research project devoted to the characterization of cellular cofactors of HIV-1 replication. I defined the
fundamental role of LEDGF/p75 in HIV-1 DNA integration (published in Science), mapped functional
domains in the protein, and identified the molecular mechanism of action. In collaboration with the Bushman
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lab, University of Pennsylvania, we also demonstrated the role of LEDGF/p75 in promoting integration within
actively transcribed genes (published in Nature Medicine).
Selected publications
1. Llano M., Vanegas M., Fregoso O., Saenz D., Chung S., Peretz M., Poeschla E.M. LEDGF/p75
determines cellular trafficking of diverse lentiviral but not murine oncoretroviral integrase proteins and is a
component of functional lentiviral preintegration complexes. J Virol. 78:9524-9537. 2004.
2. Ciuffi A., Llano M., Poeschla E.M., Marshall H., Hoffman C., Shinn P., Hannenhalli S., Ecker J., Bushman
F. A role for LEDGF/p75 in targeting HIV DNA integration. Nature Medicine. 11:1287-1289, 2005.
3. Llano M., Saenz D.T., Meehan A., Wongthida P., Peretz M., Walker W.H., Teo W., and Poeschla E.M.. An
essential role of LEDGF/p75 in HIV integration. Science. 2006 314 (5798):461-4.
4. Llano M., Vanegas M., Hutchins N., Thompson D., Delgado S., Poeschla E.M. Identification and
characterization of the chromatin-binding domains of the HIV-1 integrase interactor LEDGF/p75. J. Mol.
Biol. 360:760-773, 2006.
5. Llano M., Delgado S., Vanegas M., Poeschla E.M. LEDGF/p75 prevents proteasomal degradation of HIV-
1 integrase. J. Biol. Chem. 2004. 279: 55570-55577.
3. Identification of LEDGF/p75-associated proteins implicated in HIV-1 replication. Research from my
laboratory at The University of Texas at El Paso has broadened our understanding of the mechanism of
action of LEDGF/p75 in HIV-1 infection. We have demonstrated that LEDGF/p75 interacts with SSRP1
promoting viral integration and HIV-1 LTR-driven gene expression. These results suggest that HIV-1 has
evolved LEDGF/p75 dependency to gain access to interacting proteins. Furthermore, we have evidence that
the host impairs HIV-1 gene expression via the LEDGF/p75-interacting protein PARP-1. Pharmacological
inhibition and/or deficiency of PARP-1 significantly increases HIV-1 replication in immortal CD4+ T cells and
primary resting memory CD4+ T cells by enhancing provirus gene expression. The discovery of the
implication of LEDGF/p75-interacting proteins in HIV-1 replication suggest that host protein complexes,
rather than individual proteins, are central in viral pathogenesis. These findings identify host-host protein
interactions as relevant targets for the development of anti-viral drugs.
Selected publications
1. Gutierrez DA, Valdes L, Serguera C, Llano M. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 silences retroviruses
independently of viral DNA integration or heterochromatin formation. J Gen Virol. 2016 Mar 30. [Epub
ahead of print]
2. Bueno MT, Reyes D, Valdes L, Saheba A, Urias E, Mendoza C, Fregoso OI, Llano M. Poly (ADP-ribose)
Polymerase-1 Promotes Transcriptional Repression of Integrated Retroviruses. J Virol. Mar; 87(5):2496-
507, 2013.
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3. Lopez AP, Kugelman JR, Garcia-Rivera J, Urias E, Salinas SA, Fernandez-Zapico ME, Llano M. The
Structure-Specific Recognition Protein 1 Associates with Lens Epithelium-Derived Growth Factor Proteins
and Modulates HIV-1 Replication. J. Mol. Biol. 2016 Jul 17; 428(14):2814-31.
4. Bueno MTD, Reyes D, and Llano M. LEDGF/p75 Deficiency Increases Deletions at the HIV-1 cDNA Ends.
Viruses. 2017 9 (9): 259.
5. Matysiak J., Lesbats P., Mauro E., Lapaillerie D., Dupuy JW., Lopez AP, Benleulmi MS., Calmels C.,
Andreola ML., Ruff M., Llano M., Delelis O., Lavigne M., Parissi V. Modulation of chromatin structure by the
FACT histone chaperone complex regulates HIV-1 integration. Retrovirology. 2017. 14(1):39.
6. Llano M. and Peña-Hernandez MA. Defining Pharmacological Targets by Analysis of Virus-Host Protein
Interactions. Adv Protein Chem Struct Biol. 2018. 111:223-242.
Manuscript submitted
1. Valdes L., Seong, C.S., Gutierrez D., Martinez, Z.S., Lopez A., Farran E., and Llano, M. Regulation of HIV-
1 replication by Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 in human CD4+ T cells. (Submitted to J. Virol)
4. Identification of novel HIV-1 maturation inhibitors. HIV-1 is released from infected cells as an immature,
non-infectious virion that then proceeds through maturation before gaining full infectivity. We have developed a
group of novel fullerene-derivatives that potently (IC50 0.3 μM) block HIV-1 infection at the maturation step.
These maturation inhibitors severely impair replication of HIV-1 resistant to multiple clinically-used protease
inhibitors as well as to experimental maturation inhibitors. We have two US patents on these maturation
inhibitors.
Selected publications
1. Castro, E. Martinez, Z.S.; Seong, CS; Cabrera-Espinoza, A.; Ruiz, M.; Hernandez, A.; Valdez, F.; Llano,
M*.; Echegoyen, L. Characterization of new cationic [70]fullerene derivatives as potent HIV-1 maturation
inhibitors. J. Med. Chem. 2016, 59, 10963. *Shared senior authorship.
2. Martinez ZS, Castro E, Seong CS, Cerón MR, Echegoyen L, Llano M. Fullerene Derivatives Strongly
Inhibit HIV-1 Replication by Affecting Virus Maturation without Impairing Protease Activity. Antimicrob
Agents Chemother. 2016, 60 (10) 5731-41.
5. Discovery of Flaviviruses restriction factors. Flaviviruses include relevant human and animal pathogens
as well as bioterrorism agents. Among them are West Nile Virus, Zika Vius, and Dengue Virus for which no
vaccine or specific treatment have been developed yet. We have discovered that the host protein Schlafen 11
restricts replication of these flaviviruses by altering viral fitness.
1. Valdez F., Salvador J., Palermo, P., Mohl J.E., Hanley, K.A., Watts, D., and Llano M. Schlafen 11 Restricts
Flavivirus Replication. (J. Virology, 93 (15): 104-19. 2019).
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RESEARCH SUPPORT
ONGOING RESEARCH SUPPORT
1. SC1GM115240- Llano (PI)
NIH-NIAID “Role of PARP-1 in HIV-1 latent infection” ($ 1,400,000.00)
Funding agent: NIH-NIAID
Goal: To determine the role of PARP-1 in HIV-1 latency and replication.
Role: P.I. M. Llano (02/01/2016 - 04/30/2020)
2. Fullerene inhibitors of HIV-1, LTAUSA17061.
Funding agent: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Program Inter-excellence
Goal: Characterization of fullerene-derived compounds as inhibitors of HIV-1 maturation.
Role: Co-P.I. M. Llano. P.I. Michaela Rumlová, PhD, Department of Biotechnology, UCT Prague.
(2017 – 2019).
3. Study of the role of capsid protein in early phase of HIV-1 replication cycle using the newly
identified compounds stabilizing capsid complexes, 17-25602S
Funding agent: Czech Science Foundation (GACR)
Goal: Characterization of fullerene-derived compounds as inhibitors of HIV-1 maturation.
Role: Co-P.I. M. Llano. P.I. Michaela Rumlová, PhD, Department of Biotechnology, UCT Prague.
(2017 – 2019)
COMPLETED RESEARCH SUPPORT
NIH-funded grants
1. SC1AI098238- Llano (PI)
“Regulation of the HIV cofactor activity of LEDGF/p75 by interacting proteins” ($ 1,430,895.00)
Funding agent: NIH- NIAID
Goal: To determine the role of LEDGF/p75-interacting proteins in HIV-1 replication.
Role: PI. (07/01/2011 – 09/30/2015)
2. SC2GM082301-Llano (PI)
"Molecular Mechanism of HIV-1 DNA integration.," ($ 322,440.00, plus $ 84,844.00 supplement).
Funding agent: NIH-NIGMS
Goal: To determine the mechanism of LEDGF/p75 in HIV-1 integration.
Role: PI. (03/12/2008 – 02/28/2011)
3. NIH R01- Kan-Mitchell (PI)
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“Mapping novel subdominal B*5701 epitopes in conserved regions of the HIV
Proteome”
Funding agent: NIH-NIAID
Goal: To identify and characterize novel HIV epitopes as vaccine candidates.
Role: Collaborator. (09/01/08 - 08/31/2012)
The University of Texas at El Paso intramural grants
1. Llano and Echegoyen (Co-PIs)
"Synthesis and Mechanistic Characterization of Novel Fullerene Derivatives as Anti-HIV Agents”
($ 25,000.00)
Funding agent: The University of Texas at El Paso. College of Science. Multidisciplinary Pilot Project
Program.
Goal: To determine the anti-HIV-1 activity of novel fullerene derivatives and define their mechanism of
action.
Role: Co-PI (02/01/2014 – 02/01/2015)
2. Llano and Watts (Co-PIs)
"Role of innate immune mechanisms targeting enveloped and AT-rich genome viruses in West Nile Virus
infection" ($ 25,000.00).
Funding agent: The University of Texas at El Paso. College of Science. Multidisciplinary Pilot Project
Goal: To define the role of tetherin and Schlafen 11 in the replication of West Nile Virus.
Role: Co-PI (02/01/2013 - 02/01/2014)
3. Llano (PI)
"Role of SUMOylation of LEDGF/p75 in HIV infection" ($5,000.00.)
Funding agent: The University of Texas at El Paso. University Research Institute Grant.
Goal: To evaluate the impact of SUMOylation in the role of LEDGF/p75 in HIV-1 infection.
Role: PI (01/01/2009 – 12/31/2009)
4. Llano (PI)
"Molecular mechanism of LEDGF/p75 in HIV integration ($4,895.00.)
Goal: To evaluate the chromatin tethering role of LEDGF/p75 in HIV-1 DNA integration.
Funding agent: The University of Texas at El Paso. University Research Institute Grant.
Role: PI (01/01/2006 – 12/31/2006)
As a member of the Infectious Disease and Immunology Cluster of the Border Biomedical Research Center of
The University of Texas at El Paso, I have contributed with my research to two rounds of competitive renewals
(2008-2012 and 2013-2017) of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities-funded research
grant ($14.4 M, five years) that support research in diseases that are overrepresented in minority groups.
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PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&view_op=list_works&gmla=AJsN-F7rgr0N4MGXh1NmvLmnioyqKq1T_JDTSPsUR32z4BjHLdZmFsQ6ULRLR6cyXQ4SI5k1Rz2VwXBfhGEJEtqk20WbftJOyg&user=BdM_9REAAAAJ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/manuel.llano.1/bibliography/43960353/public/?sort=date&direction=ascending.
Original papers
(*Shared senior authorship; **Undergraduate and & Graduate Students in senior-authored papers)
1. Valdez F. &, Salvador J. **, Palermo, P. &, Mohl J.E. &, Hanley, K.A., Watts, D., and Llano M. Schlafen
11 Restricts Flavivirus Replication. J Virol. 2019 93(15): 104-119
2. Píchalová R, Füzik T, Vokatá B, Rumlová M, Llano M, Dostálková A, Křížová I, Ruml T, and Ulbrich P.
Conserved cysteines in Mason-Pfizer monkey virus capsid protein are essential for infectious mature
particle formation. Virology. 2018. 521:108-117
3. Bueno MTD, Reyes D, and Llano M. LEDGF/p75 Deficiency Increases Deletions at the HIV-1 cDNA
Ends. Viruses. 2017 9 (9): 259.
4. Matysiak J., Lesbats P., Mauro E., Lapaillerie D., Dupuy JW., Lopez AP&, Benleulmi MS., Calmels C.,
Andreola ML., Ruff M., Llano M., Delelis O., Lavigne M., Parissi V. Modulation of chromatin structure
by the FACT histone chaperone complex regulates HIV-1 integration. Retrovirology. 2017. 14(1):39.
5. Castro, E&. Martinez, Z.S. &; Seong, CS; Cabrera-Espinoza, A.; Ruiz, M.; Hernandez, A.; Valdez, F. &;
Llano, M*.; Echegoyen, L. Characterization of new cationic [70]fullerene derivatives as potent HIV-1
maturation inhibitors. J. Med. Chem. 2016, 59, 10963.
6. Martinez ZS&, Castro E&, Seong CS, Cerón MR, Echegoyen L, Llano M. Fullerene Derivatives
Strongly Inhibit HIV-1 Replication by Affecting Virus Maturation without Impairing Protease Activity.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2016. 60 (10) 5731-41.
7. Lopez AP&, Kugelman JR&, Garcia-Rivera J&, Urias E**, Salinas SA**, Fernandez-Zapico ME, Llano
M. The Structure-Specific Recognition Protein 1 Associates with Lens Epithelium-Derived Growth
Factor Proteins and Modulates HIV-1 Replication. J. Mol. Biol. 2016. 428(14):2814-31.
8. Gutierrez DA&, Valdes L&, Serguera C, Llano M. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 silences retroviruses
independently of viral DNA integration or heterochromatin formation. J. Gen. Virol. 2016. 97(7):1686-
92. PMID: 27028089
9. Pope, W., Bowman, C., Russell, D., Hatfull, Llano M# et al. Whole genome comparison of a large
collection of mycobacteriophages reveals a continuum of phage genetic diversity. (ed., vol. 4). eLife
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2015. http://elifesciences.org/content/4/e06416. #This is a report of a large set of data contributed by a
large number of authors from several academic institutions in USA. I am not the senior author, but a co-
author in this paper.
10. Leitz J, Reuschenbach, M, Lohrey C, Honegger A, Accardi R, Tommasino M, Llano M, von Knebel
Doeberitz M, Hoppe-Seyler K, and Hoppe-Seyler F Oncogenic Human Papillomaviruses Activate the
Tumor-Associated Lens Epithelial-Derived Growth Factor (LEDGF) Gene. PLOS Pathogens. 2014.
10(3): e1003957.
11. Bueno MT&, Reyes D&, Valdes L, Saheba A**, Urias E**, Mendoza C**, Fregoso OI, Llano M. Poly
(ADP-ribose) Polymerase-1 Promotes Transcriptional Repression of Integrated Retroviruses. J Virol.
2013. 87(5):2496-507
12. Astiazaran P**, Bueno MT&, Morales E&, Kugelman JR&, Garcia-Rivera J&, Llano M. HIV-1 integrase
modulates the interaction of the HIV-1 cellular cofactor LEDGF/p75 with chromatin. Retrovirology.
2011. 8:27
13. Bueno TDM&, Garcia-Rivera J&, Kugelman JR&, Morales E& and Llano M. SUMOylation of lens
epithelium-derived growth factor/p75 negatively affects its transcriptional activity on the heat shock
protein 27 promoter. J. Mol. Biol. 2010. 399(2): 221–239.
14. Llano M, Morrison J, Poeschla EM. Virological and Cellular Roles of the Transcriptional Coactivator
LEDGF/p75. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 339:125-46. 2010
15. Garcia-Rivera J&, Bueno MT&, Morales E&, Kugelman JR&, Rodriguez DF&, Llano M. Implication of
Serine Residues 271, 273 and 275 in the HIV-1 Cofactor Activity of LEDGF/p75. J Virol. 2010.
84(2):740-52.
16. Meehan AM, Saenz DT, Morrison JH, Garcia-Rivera J, Peretz M, Llano M, Poeschla EM. LEDGF/p75
proteins with alternative chromatin tethers are functional HIV-1 cofactors. PLoS Pathog. 2009.
5(7):e1000522.
17. Miest T, Saenz D, Meehan A, Llano M, Poeschla EM. Intensive RNAi with lentiviral vectors in
mammalian cells. Methods. 2009. 47(4):298-303.
18. Llano, M, Gaznick N, Poeschla EM. Rapid, controlled and intensive lentiviral vector-based RNAi.
Methods Mol Biol. 2009. 485:257-70.
19. Marshall HM, Ronen K, Berry C, Llano M, Sutherland H, Saenz D, Bickmore W, Poeschla EM,
Bushman F. Role of PSIP1/LEDGF/p75 in Lentiviral infectivity and integration targeting. PLoS ONE
2007. 2(12): e1340 2007
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20. Llano M., Saenz D.T., Meehan A., Wongthida P., Peretz M., Walker W.H., Teo W., and Poeschla E.M..
An essential role of LEDGF/p75 in HIV integration. Science. 2006. 314 (5798):461-4.
21. Llano M., Vanegas M., Hutchins N., Thompson D., Delgado S., Poeschla E.M. Identification and
characterization of the chromatin-binding domains of the HIV-1 integrase interactor LEDGF/p75. 2006.
J. Mol. Biol. 360:760-773.
22. Ciuffi A., Llano M., Poeschla E.M., Marshall H., Hoffman C., Shinn P., Hannenhalli S., Ecker J.,
Bushman F. A role for LEDGF/p75 in targeting HIV DNA integration. Nature Medicine. 2005. 11:1287-
1289.
23. Vanegas M., Llano M., Delgado S., Thompson D., Peretz M., Poeschla E.M. Identification of the
LEDGF/p75 HIV-1 integrase-interaction domain and NLS reveals NLS-independent chromatin
tethering. J. Cell. Sci. 2005. 118:1733-1743.
24. Llano M., Vanegas M., Fregoso O., Saenz D., Chung S., Peretz M., Poeschla E.M. LEDGF/p75
determines cellular trafficking of diverse lentiviral but not murine oncoretroviral integrase proteins and is
a component of functional lentiviral preintegration complexes. 2004 J Virol. 78:9524-9537.
25. Llano M., Delgado S., Vanegas M., Poeschla E.M. LEDGF/p75 prevents proteasomal degradation of
HIV-1 integrase. J. Biol. Chem. 2004. 279: 55570-55577.
26. Garcia P., De Heredia A.B., Bellon T., Carpio E., Llano M., Caparros E., Aparicio P., Lopez-Botet M.
Signaling via CD70, a member of the TNF family regulates T cell functions. J. Leukoc. Biol. 2004.
76:263-270.
27. Nguyen K.-L., Llano M., Akari H., Miyagi E., Poeschla E.M., Strebel K., Bour S. Codon optimization of
the HIV-1 vpu and vif genes stabilizes their messenger RNA and allows for highly efficient Rev-
independent expression. Virology. 2004. 319:163-175.
28. Llano M., Guma M., Ortega M., Angulo A., Lopez-Botet M. Differential effects of US2, US6 and US11
human cytomegalovirus proteins on HLA class Ia and HLA-E expression: impact on target susceptibility
to NK cell subsets. Eur J Immunol. 2003. 33: 2744-2754.
29. Llano M., Kelly T., Vanegas M., Peretz M., Peterson T.E., Simari R.D., Poeschla E.M. Blockade of
human immunodeficiency virus type 1 expression by caveolin-1. J Virol. 2002. 76:9152-9164.
30. Garcia P., Llano M., de Heredia A.B., Willberg C.B., Caparros E., Aparicio P., Braud V.M., Lopez-Botet
M. Human T cell receptor-mediated recognition of HLA-E. Eur. J. Immunol. 2002. 32:936-944.
31. Matamoros N., Mila J., Llano M., Balas A., Vicario J.L., Pons J., Crespi C., Martinez N., Iglesias-
Alzueta J., Lopez-Botet M. Molecular studies and NK cell function of a new case of TAP2 homozygous
human deficiency. Clin. Exp. Immunol. 2001. 125:274-282.
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32. Sancho D., Nieto M., Llano M., Rodriguez-Fernandez J.L., Tejedor R., Avraham S., Cabanas C.,
Lopez-Botet M., Sanchez-Madrid F. The tyrosine kinase PYK-2/RAFTK regulates natural killer (NK)
cell cytotoxic response and is translocated and activated upon specific target cell recognition and
killing. J. Cell Biol. 200. 149:1249-1262.
33. Carretero M., Llano M., Navarro F., Bellon T., Lopez-Botet M. Mitogen-activated protein kinase activity
is involved in effector functions triggered by the CD94/NKG2-C NK receptor specific for HLA-E. Eur J
Immunol. 2000. 30:2842-2848.
34. Bellon T.; Heredia A.B.; Llano M.; Minguela A.; Rodriguez A.; Lopez-Botet M., Aparicio P. Triggering
of effector functions on a CD8+ T cell clone upon the aggregation of an activatory CD94/kp39
heterodimer. 1999. J. Immunol. 162:3996-4002.
35. Navarro F.; Llano M.; Bellon T.; Colonna M.; Geraghty D.E., Lopez-Botet M. The ILT2 (LIR1) and
CD94/NKG2A NK cell receptors respectively recognize HLA-G1 and HLA-E molecules co-expressed on
target cells. Eur. J. Immunol. 1999. 29:277-283.
36. Llano M.; Lee N.; Navarro F.; Garcia P.; Albar J.P.; Geraghty D.E., Lopez-Botet M. HLA-E-bound
peptides influence recognition by inhibitory and triggering CD94/NKG2 receptors: preferential response
to an HLA-G-derived nonamer. Eur. J. Immunol. 1998. 28:2854-2863.
37. Carretero M.; Palmieri G.; Llano M.; Tullio V.; Santoni A.; Geraghty D.E., Lopez-Botet M. Specific
engagement of the CD94/NKG2A killer inhibitory receptor by the HLA-E class Ib molecule induces
SHP-1 phosphatase recruitment to tyrosine-phosphorylated NKG2A: evidence for receptor function in
heterologous transfectants. Eur. J. Immunol. 1998. 28:1280-1291.
38. Lee N.; Llano M; Carretero M.; Ishitani A.; Navarro F.; Lopez-Botet M., Geraghty D. HLA-E is a major
ligand for the natural killer inhibitory receptor CD94/NKG2A. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1998.
95:5199-5204. Shared first author.
39. Perez-Villar J.J.; Melero I.; Navarro F.; Carretero M.; Bellon T.; Llano M.; Colonna M.; Geraghty D.,
Lopez-Botet M. The CD94/NKG2A inhibitory receptor complex is involved in natural killer cell-mediated
recognition of cells expressing HLA-G1. J. Immunol. 1997. 158: 5736-5743.
40. Colonna M.; Navarro F.; Bellon T.; Llano M.; Garcia P.; Samaridis J.; Angman L.; Cella M., Lopez-
Botet M. A common inhibitory receptor for major histocompatibility complex class I molecules on
human lymphoid and myelomonocytic cells. J. Exp. Med. 1997. 186: 1809-1818.
41. Pérez-Villar JJ, Melero I, Navarro F, Carretero M, Bellón T, Llano M, Colonna M, Geraghty DE, López-
Botet M.The CD94/NKG2-A inhibitory receptor complex is involved in natural killer cell-mediated
recognition of cells expressing HLA-G1. J. Immunol. 1997. 158(12):5736-43.
12
42. Fernández de Cossío ME, Ohlin M, Llano M, Selander B, Cruz S, del Valle J, Borrebaeck CA. Human
monoclonal antibodies against an epitope on the class 5c outer membrane protein common to many
pathogenic strains of Neisseria meningitidis. J. Infect Dis. 1992. 166(6):1322-8.
43. Hardy E, Ohlin M, Llano M. Enhanced ELISA sensitivity using TCA for efficient coating of biologically
active lipopolysaccharides or lipid A to the solid phase. J.Immunol Methods. 1994. 176(1):111-6.
Review papers
1. Llano M. and Peña-Hernandez MA**. Defining Pharmacological Targets by Analysis of Virus-Host
Protein Interactions. Adv Protein Chem Struct Biol. 2018. 111:223-242
2. Llano M, Morrison J, and Poeschla EM. Virological and Cellular Roles of the Transcriptional
Coactivator LEDGF/p75. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2010;339:125-46.
3. Lopez-Botet M., Llano M., Ortega M. Human cytomegalovirus and natural killer-mediated surveillance
of HLA class I expression: a paradigm of host-pathogen adaptation. Immunol. Rev. 181:193-202, 2001
4. Lopez-Botet, M.; Bellon, T.; Llano, M; Navarro, F.; Garcia, P. and de Miguel, M. Paired inhibitory and
triggering NK cell receptors for HLA class I molecules. Hum. Immunol. 61:7-17, 2000.
5. Lopez-Botet, M.; Llano, M.; Navarro, F.; and Bellon, T. NK cell recognition of non-classical HLA class I
molecules. Semin. Immunol. 12:109-119, 2000.
6. Lopez-Botet, M.; Navarro, F.; Llano, M. and Garcia, P. NK cell mediated recognition of HLA class Ib
molecules: role of CD94/NKG2 receptors. J. Reproduct. Immunol. 43:167– 3, 1999.
7. Lopez-Botet, M.; Navarro, F. and Llano, M. How does NK cells sense the expression of HLA-G class
Ib molecules? Semin. Cancer Biol. 9:19-26, 1999.
8. López-Botet M, Carretero M, Bellón T, Pérez-Villar JJ, Llano M, Navarro F. The CD94/NKG2 C-type
lectin receptor complex. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 1998;230:41-52.
9. López-Botet M, Carretero M, Bellón T, Pérez-Villar JJ, Llano M, Navarro F. The CD94/NKG2C-type
lectin receptor complex in recognition of HLA class I molecules. Res Immunol. 1997 Mar-
Apr;148(3):155-9.
10. López-Botet M, Pérez-Villar JJ, Carretero M, Rodríguez A, Melero I, Bellón T, Llano M, Navarro F.
Structure and function of the CD94 C-type lectin receptor complex involved in recognition of HLA class I
molecules. Immunol Rev. 1997 Feb;155:165-74.
11. López-Botet M, Carretero M, Pérez-Villar J, Bellón T, Llano M, Navarro F.The CD94/NKG2 C-type
lectin receptor complex: involvement in NK cell-mediated recognition of HLA class I molecules.
Immunol Res. 1997;16(2):175-85.
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INVITED SPEAKER TALKS
1. Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Schlafen
Proteins Restrict Viral Replication”. New York City (2019).
2. Baylor University. Biological Sciences Department. “Regulation of the cellular tRNA pool and its
implication for viral infections and cancer therapy”. Waco, TX, (2019).
3. Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez. “Schlafen 11 Restricts Flavivirus Replication”. Ciudad
Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico (2018).
4. Infectious Disease Symposium: HIV immunopathogenesis and Gene Therapy, "Cellular Factors
Implicated in HIV-1 replication," Texas Tech University, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. El Paso, TX
(2013).
5. Loma Linda School of Medicine "Role of LEDGF/p75 in HIV infection" Loma Linda, CA (2010).
6. The University of Alabama at Birmingham. "Cellular cofactors of HIV infection". Birmingham, AL (2012).
7. SACNAS National Conference. “Role of Cellular Factors in HIV-1 replication" in San Antonio, TX (2013)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
1. Provisional Patent Application: 1,3-Dipolar[70] Fulleropyrrolidinium Iodide Derivatives by Luis A.
Echegoyen, Manuel Llano, Edison A Castro Portillo and Zachary Martinez (UTEP0022USP1 / 2015-
023)
2. Provisional Patent Application: [1,3]-Thiazine-Fulleropyrrolo Derivatives of C60 and C70 as HIV
Inhibitor Agents by Luis A. Echegoyen, Danisha Rivera-Nazario, Manuel Llano, Edison A Castro Portillo
and Zachary Martinez (UTSE.P0171US.P1 / 2015-045)
3. Provisional Patent Application: Screening System for detecting Inhibitors of HIV Integrase-LEDGF/p75
Interaction by Manuel Llano and Elisa Morales.
PRESENTATIONS AT RESEARCH MEETINGS
Only selected presentations at international meetings in the last nine years are listed. **Undergraduate
and & Graduate Students
1. Gutierrez, D. &, Reyes, D. &, Bueno, M. &, Llano, M., Retroviruses. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Meeting., "A SUMOylation-deficient LEDGF/p75 mutant exhibits reduced HIV-1 cofactor activity".
(Poster). Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York. (May 2012).
2. Llano, M., Bueno, M. &, Reyes, D. &, Saheba, A. **, Urias, E. **, Mendoza, C. **, Rodriguez, L. &,
Fregoso, O. I., Retroviruses. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Meeting., "Poly (ADP-ribose) Polymerase-
1 Promotes Transcriptional Repression of Integrated Retroviruses". (Poster). (Oral presentation). Cold
Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York. (May 2012).
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3. Garcia-Rivera JA&, Bueno MT&, Morales E&, Kugelman JR&, Rodriguez DF&, Llano M. Implication of
Serine Residues 271, 273 and 275 in the HIV-1 Cofactor Activity of LEDGF/p75. (Poster). 3rd
International Conference on Retroviral Integrase. MBL Woods Hole, Boston (Sept. 14-18. 2008)
4. Bueno MT&, Garcia-Rivera JA&, Morales E&, Kugelman JR&, Cortez J**, Rosas-Acosta G, Llano M.
SUMOylation of LEDGF/p75 influences the subnuclear localization of HIV-1 integrase. (Poster). 3rd
International Conference on Retroviral Integrase. MBL Woods Hole, Boston (Sept. 14-18. 2008)
5. Meehan AM, Saenz DT, Morrison JH, Garcia-Rivera JA&, Peretz M, Llano M, Poeschla EM.
LEDGF/p75 proteins with alternative chromatin tethers are functional HIV-1 cofactors. Retroviruses
meeting. (Oral presentation). Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. (May 2007)
15
TEACHING AND MENTORING
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Professional life has many routes and alternatives. In many occasions, one’s decision to take a particular route
is not well informed. Useful career information is often contaminated with futile information or even hidden in
unsuspected places. To succeed, it is not only necessary to work hard, but also to do it in the right direction.
But which is the right direction? This dilemma is commonly encountered in our professional lives, “I have
decided to succeed, I am determined to work very hard, but where should I head out to reach my goals?” At
this point what is needed is a mentor. This is a more experienced person who will altruistically guide you
through your professional life decisions, helping you to conduct your efforts in the right direction. A mentor also
has to be a role model that inspires others. Therefore, professional excellence in each of our duties is
necessary to become a mentor.
My teaching philosophy is fully permeated by my interest in being an effective mentor for my students. As a
teacher, I guide my students to learn what will be important to build their professional future. My goal in the
classroom is that students understand, rather than memorize, the information necessary to build further
knowledge. In order to do this, I motivate them by transmitting the passion that I feel for the subject and appeal
to their curiosity by using real life examples and logical analysis during the lectures.
In addition, I teach the students the philosophy of “you can do it.” This motivation helps them acquire
knowledge in the classroom but, more importantly, helps them overcome obstacles in their future professional
and personal lives. To effectively imprint this philosophy in my students, I challenge them with reasoning
questions that promote them to think and realize that they can come up with good ideas to solve real life
problems. During these exercises, I always insist, “Trust me, you can do it. Think of how this problem can be
solved.” Another tool I use to cultivate this philosophy in my students is to invite guest speakers to the
classroom. These professionally successful individuals serve as role models and inspire self-confidence in my
students.
I also consider that my role as a teacher does not end in the classroom and is not limited to spreading
knowledge about microbiology. Students from the course, from the laboratory and in general from the
Department seek advice from me to solve strategic problems in their professional life and this greatly satisfies
me. I have found that by investing a little bit of extra time, I can have a big impact in the academic progress of
students.
Mentoring undergraduate and graduate research students. I have mentored over 50 undergraduate
students in my research laboratory (Table 1) and eight are under my guidance currently. Typically, I recruit
these students from my undergraduate courses. In most of the cases, I have secured funding for these
students through UTEP fellowships such as RISE, BURS, COURI, and MARK. Through these programs the
students present in at least one research meeting per year and many of them are authors in the lab
publications. Generally, I send them to competitive nation-wide summer research programs. Therefore, the
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research experience provided in my laboratory to these undergraduate students significantly increases their
competitiveness when applying for graduate or professional schools after obtaining their BS degrees.
My laboratory has graduated seven PhD and four master students (Table 2). These students authored at least
one publication from my laboratory. Then, the research experience provided in my laboratory to these
Table 1. Selected list of undergraduate students mentored in my research laboratory.
Student Mentoring dates School entered Comment
Alma Navarro 2007-2010 Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. Tempe, AZ
Damaris Rosado 2007-2010 Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
2009 Top Ten Senior Award. University of Texas at El Paso
Carlos Sanchez 2008-2011 Skirball Institute PhD Program. New York University
David M. Barry 2009-2014 PhD Program. UT Southwestern Medical Center
Paulina Astiazaran 2010-2015 University of Texas Medical School-Houston
First author in lab publication
Adarsh Saheba 2010-2015 Texas Tech University. School of Medicine
Co-author in lab publication
Melissa Spear 2010-2015 Biomedical Sciences PhD program. University of California, San Francisco
First author in manuscript in preparation
Elizabeth Aguilera 2010-2015 Molecular Microbiology PhD Program. UT Southwestern Medical Center
First author in manuscript in preparation
Crystal Mendoza 2010-2015 PhD program at Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
Co-author in lab publication
Ivan Y. Ramirez 2010-2012 Texas Tech University. School of Medicine
Andre F. Perez-Orozco
2011-2014 MD PhD program. Baylor College of Medicine
Sandra Andrea Salinas
2011-2014 MD PhD program. Baylor College of Medicine
Co-author in lab publication
Eduardo Urias 2011-2016 Texas Tech University. School of Medicine
Co-author in lab publication. First author in manuscript in preparation
Samuel Garcia 2013-2015 Texas Tech University. School of Medicine
Elias Farran 2014-2017 University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Co-author in submitted lab publication
Cameron Torres 2014-2018 PhD Program. UT Southwestern Medical Center
First author in manuscript in preparation
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graduate students significantly increases their competitiveness when applying for post-doctoral positions and
job opportunities in both academy and industry. Currently I am training one PhD and three MS students.
In addition I have mentored other graduate students in the Department by participating as member of their
thesis committees (nine PhD and three MS students), directing the Graduate Student Seminar, and by serving
in the Graduate Student Advisory Committee (described in the Service section).
Curriculum Development of Graduate and Undergraduate Academic Programs. I was one of the seven
members of the curriculum development team that created the curriculum for the Bachelor of Science in
Cellular and Molecular Biochemistry (CBCH) at UTEP. This program places special emphasis in teaching
state-of-the-art biomedical research techniques better preparing our undergraduate students for jobs in the
biomedical sciences.
Furthermore, I developed the course Advanced Topics in Molecular Biochemistry (CBCH 4320) that has been
offered for seven consecutive semesters with an enrollment of over 30 students per semester. This is a team-
taught course in which both faculty and students engage in teaching. The participating faculty lecture and the
students present research papers suggested by the faculty.
I also developed the graduate level course Molecular Pathogenesis (BIOL 5344) that has now been offered for
seven consecutive semesters with an enrollment of approximately 7 students per semester. This is a journal
Table 2. Graduate students mentored in my laboratory.
PhD Student Mentoring dates Post-doctorate Comment Jeffrey Kugelman 2007-2010 United States Army
Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
Currently an independent P.I. Author in three lab publications
Jose Garcia 2007-2010 The Scripps Research Institute.
Currently an independent P.I. Author in four lab publications
Murilo Bueno 2007-2010 McGill University, Montréal Author in four lab publications Zachary Martinez 2011-2015 University of Texas at El
Paso Author in two lab publications and two patents
Angelica Lopez 2011-2015 Science Lead at Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
Author in one lab publication
Luis Valdes 2011-2015 Pharma Industry Author in one lab publication Federico Valdez 2013-2018 University of Texas at El
Paso Author in two lab publications
MS Student Mentoring dates Job secured Comment Elisa Morales 2007-2009 Technician at Texas Tech
Medical School Author in two lab publications
Daniel Reyes 2010-2013 Technician at United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
Author in two lab publications
Denisse Gutierrez 2013-2016 Technician at The University of Texas at El Paso.
Author in one lab publication
Sara Garcia 2016-2018 Author in a manuscript in preparation
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club-type course that also engages students in teaching. Students select research papers to highlight a
particular topic; I introduce the topic by giving a lecture and then the students present the corresponding
papers.
As indicated above, Advanced Topics in Molecular Biochemistry and Molecular Pathogenesis are designed to
engage students in teaching and therefore challenge students to think critically and improve their presentation
skills.
Experience in developing and implementing service learning and experiential learning in curricular and
co-curricular settings. For the last six years, I co-directed a freshman undergraduate level research-driven
course funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute through their Science Education Alliance program
(BIOL 1107). This was the first course offered to undergraduates in the College of Sciences that implemented
experiential learning.
In this course, freshman students are recruited at college orientation based on their initial interest in research.
The motto that we use is “In this course you will work more than your peers for the same number of course
credits, but...you will participate in research”.
In this course we implemented a hybrid of the Freire/Dewey’s and Kolb's models of experiential learning. The
students are presented with the problem that there is a gap in our knowledge of bacteriophages infecting a
specific bacteria that grow ubiquitously in soil, they are taught the concept that bacteriophages require bacteria
for multiplication and therefore bacteriophages are expected to co-habit with bacteria. Based on this
information the students formulate the hypothesis that they will find bacteriophages in soil samples, they do the
required experimentation following specific protocols, analyze their results and arrive to conclusions. This
course is two semesters long. In the first semester (wet lab), the students isolate and characterize the
bacteriophages by electron microscopy and, in the second semester (dry lab), one of the bacteriophages is
sequenced and the students annotate the genetic features of the bacteriophage using specific software. At the
end of the first semester, the students present their findings in an in-class research symposium and the
bacteriophage best presented is selected for sequencing. In addition, the students present their work as a
poster at a local research symposium for undergraduates. At the end of the second semester, the students
submit their annotation to Genebank (for example, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/MH051255.1) and
present their work at a national research meeting organized by HHMI and in local research meetings.
In 2018, I developed a new freshman undergraduate research-driven course modeled after the BIOL 1107
course described above. This course is under the UTEP Freshman Year Research Intensive Sequence
program that is funded by the National Institutes of Health (BUILD) and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
(PERSIST). The course has two parts, a research foundation course (BIOL 1107) followed by a research-
driven course (BIOL 1108). In these courses I also applied a hybrid of the Freire/Dewey’s and Kolb's models of
experiential learning.
Development of interdisciplinary degree programs. In 2018, I started an interdisciplinary degree
experience with the Biomedical Engineering program of the College of Engineering by accepting two of their
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graduate students to pursue M.S. degrees in my laboratory. Our goal is to provide these students with a
broader, multidisciplinary research experience.
Experience in promoting and marketing academic programs in the Biology sector. Since 2017, I have
served as the Director of Keelung Hong Graduate Research Fellowship Program. This month I created a Merit-
Based Tuition Waiver program with funds from this fellowship, as part of the development efforts for the growth
and success of the fellowship. Students are the workforce of academic research. Therefore, most competitive
Ph.D. programs provide tuition waivers in addition to monthly stipend in order to attract the best graduate
students. For example, roughly 25% of students pursuing Ph.D. received a tuition waiver in 2012, the latest
year that data is available. Unfortunately, in Texas, public institutions are not allowed to waive tuition.
Therefore, I have created this funding opportunity to attract better students to our Ph.D. program. I am planning
to advertise this opportunity by mailing an informative poster to Texas schools and by distributing flyers at
research meetings such as the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in
Science (SACNAS) and Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS).
Faculty Development Courses (attended)
1. Workshop, "Creative Active Learning Experiences," STEM Research-Teaching Integration Program. The
University of Texas at El Paso. (December 8, 2012).
In addition, I have trained over 50 undergraduate students that have entered in Ph.D., M.D., and M.D./Ph.D.
programs in very competitive schools nation-wide. I have also graduated seven Ph.D. and four Master in
Science students. Six of the Ph.D. secured post-doctoral positions in prestigious institutions and two of them
are currently principal investigators at military-funded laboratories in USA. All the M.S. graduates have
secured jobs as technicians in research laboratories immediately after graduation and still hold them. Three
are in academia and one in a military-funded lab.
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Summary of teaching experience. I have taught over 3,200 students in laboratory- and classroom-based,
lower and higher division undergraduate and graduate courses (Table 3).
Table 3. Teaching experience summary.
Course Course Name Total
Enrollment Course
Type Semesters
taught Level Student’s
course evaluation
BIOL 1103 Introductory Biology Lab
43 TL 2 Undergrad N/A
BIOL 5344 Molecular Pathogenesis
51 L + S 7 Doctoral 4.8+/-.17 (4)
CBCH 4310 Techniques in Molecular
Biochemistry
72 L + S, TT
3 Undergrad N/A
CBCH 4320 Advanced Topics in Molecular
Biochemistry
204 L + S, TT
7 Undergrad 4.3+/- 0.5 (6)
MICR 2141 General Microbiology Lab
93 TL 5 Undergrad N/A
MICR 2330 Microorganisms and disease
73 L 2 Undergrad 4.95+/- 0.07 (2)
MICR 2340 General Microbiology 829 L 10 Undergrad 4.58+/- 0.3 (7)
MICR 2440 General Microbiology 1,592 L + TL 17 Undergrad 4.6+/- 0.28 (17)
BIOL 1107 Topics in Study of Life
124 RL 7 Undergrad 4.92+/- 0.07 (3)
BIOL 4398
Special Problems 63 RL 24 Undergrad N/A
BIOL 5302 Research in Biological Sciences
21 RL 11 Doctoral N/A
BIOL 5398 Thesis 11 M 7 Doctoral N/A BIOL 6X90
X=1-6 Independent
Research 11 M 46 Doctoral N/A
BIOL 6399 Dissertation 11 M 9 Doctoral N/A RSRC 4033 Undergraduate
Research 10 RL 4 Undergrad N/A
Period collected Fall 2006-Spring 2017 (3,208 students). Course types are Teaching laboratory (TL), Lecture (L), Seminar (S), Team Taught course (TT), Research-Driven Lab (RL), and mentoring (M). The maximum grade for the student’s course evaluations is 5. The number of semesters used to calculate the mean+/-SD of the student’s course evaluations are indicated in parentheses.
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SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP
I have served as chair or member of several committees at the Departmental, College, and University levels at
The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) as well as at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. A
detailed description of dates, committees and roles is available upon request.
SERVICE PHILOSOPHY
I consider service to the university and society as a whole to be one of my core responsibilities as a professor.
I focus my service on mentoring students and faculty, making strategic recommendations to guide them toward
their long term goals. I consider these recommendations essential since many students are poorly informed
about these matters until very late in their college studies. At this late point, students have limited chances to
improve their extracurricular activities and competitiveness. I also consider contributing to the community with
my professional expertise to be very important. In addition, service is always a learning opportunity to develop
leadership and organizational skills.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO SERVICE
Supporting student organizations: I have worked in coordination with the presidents of the Medical
Professions Organization of the College of Sciences and the Graduate Student Organization of the Biological
Sciences Department contributing with my professional expertise to these organizations. For example, I have
participated in training members for medical school admission interviews and in suggesting leaders in HIV-1
basic research to be invited as speakers to the Graduate Student Seminar that I direct. I have also been invited
as a speaker to the Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society at UTEP.
Faculty and Post-doc Mentoring. I am the mentor of Dr. Anita Quintana an Assistant Professor in the
Department. I have oriented Dr. Quintana in preparing her Mentored Research Scientist Development Award
(K01 grant), scheduling classes, dealing with the Departmental issues and recruiting students to her lab.
In addition, as a member of the Department Advisory Committee, I have significantly contributed to implement
Departmental policies that guarantee balanced service and teaching load among the faculty, reviewed faculty’s
annual evaluations, advised faculty through their annual evaluations on how to improve in the areas of
research, teaching, and service. In this committee, I have also advised the Department chairman on
Departmental priorities and prepared the Departmental letter of support for faculty being promoted to Associate
and Full Professors.
I have also mentored post-doctoral fellows working in my laboratory, focusing on the development of
leadership and scientific writing skills. For example, I have organized the research projects in the lab such that
each post-doc directly led a research group formed by one graduate and several undergraduate students.
Under my guidance, the post-docs are also responsible for writing papers and aims in grant applications. Using
this approach, I mentored Dr. Chang-Soo Seong (2012-2016) who is now Lead Research Specialist at the
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. I am currently mentoring two other post-docs recruited last year.
22
Faculty Recruitment. I have served in three search committees to recruit faculty in the areas of Ecology and
Evolution (2007), Cancer Research (2012-2013), and Genetics (2013-2014), chairing the latter. Importantly,
the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology researcher that was hired has since been promoted to a tenured
Associate Professor.
Scientific Committees. As an expert in cellular cofactors of HIV replication, I have served four times in the
past two years as a reviewer for the NIH in the AIDS Molecular and Cellular Biology Study Section, and special
emphasis panels Targeting Persistent HIV Reservoirs and Basic Research on HIV Persistence. I have also
served as a reviewer for grant applications from the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR, USA),
the K University Leuven (Belgium), the Research Foundation-Flanders (Belgium), and the Israel Science
Foundation.
I have also served as a reviewer for Microbiology textbooks from W.W. Norton & Company, and for articles
submitted to several research journals including PLOS Pathogens, J. Virology, Retrovirology, PLOS One,
Virology, Oncotarget, Future Virology, and Future Medicine.
In addition to being or having been Chair of the Dissertation Defense Committee of my eleven graduate
students, I am serving or have served as member of the Dissertation Defense Committee of twelve graduate
students (8 Ph.D., 4 M.S.) in the Departments of Biological Sciences (10) and Chemistry (1) of UTEP, and in
the Dissertation Defense Committee of a Ph.D. students in the Pasteur Institute (France).
Directing the Graduate Student Seminar. I have been the director of the Graduate Student Seminar of the
Pathobiology Ph.D. program in our Department for the last seven years. This is a progress report seminar in
which professors evaluate the student’s ability to present and defend their data and hypothesis, as well as
provide feedback about their graduation and publication plans. Therefore, this seminar greatly enhances the
student’s presentation and critical thinking skills, and contributes to guarantee their timely graduation.
Organizing Research Symposiums. I have been a member of three organizing committees that have
contributed to the successful organization of two national and one regional research symposiums. Particularly,
I was able to attract relevant speakers such as Stephen J. Russell, M.D., Ph.D. (Professor of Medicine and
Director of the Molecular Medicine Program at Mayo Clinic, 2009) and Eric M. Poeschla, M.D. (Professor of
Medicine, Tim Gill Endowed Research Chair and Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University
of Colorado School of Medicine, 2011) to these meetings.
Dictating University and Departmental Policies. I have contributed to the mission of committees such as
the Institutional Review Board, the Faculty Senate, and the Department Advisory Committee.
The following is a selection of the committees that I have served in the last decade: PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Ad Hoc reviewer for NIH in the AIDS Molecular and Cellular Biology Study Section, and special
emphasis panels Targeting Persistent HIV Reservoirs and Basic Research on HIV Persistence (2015-
present).
23
Ad Hoc reviewer for Journal of Virology, PLOS Pathogens, Retrovirology, Virology, PLOS One,
Oncotarget , Journal Future HIV Therapy, and Future Medicine (2007 - present)
Ad hoc reviewer for Microbiology: An evolving Science. Slonczewski J.L. and Foster J.W. Editors W.W.
Norton & Company (2008 and 2013)
Ad hoc reviewer for grants applications to the Israel Science Foundation (2013)
Ad hoc reviewer for Postdoctoral Fellowship Research Foundation - Flanders (Belgium, 2009 and
2012)
Ad hoc reviewer for grants applications to the K University Leuven (Belgium, 2010)
Ad hoc reviewer for grants - The Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR, USA, 2009)
Committee Member for 3rd Annual Research Colloquium, Texas Tech University Health Sciences
Center (2009)
DEPARTMENTAL SERVICE
Chair Award Committee (2016-present)
Faculty mentor for Anita Quintana, Ph.D, Assistant Professor (2015-present)
Director Graduate Student Seminar (2010-present)
Member of the Advisory Committee (2012-2016)
Member of the Graduate School Selection Committee (2012-2014)
Member for Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Cellular and Molecular Biochemistry committee (2010-
present)
Member for Cancer Biologist Search Committee (2012-2013)
COLLEGE SERVICE
Director of Keelung Hong Graduate Research Fellowship Program (2017-present)
Member of the Award Committee (2016-present)
Chair for Geneticist Search Committee (2013-2014)
Member of the organizing committee for the Symposium on Infectious Diseases and Health Disparity in
a Changing World (2010-2011 and 2016-2017)
UNIVERSITY SERVICE
Member of the Undergraduate Scholarship Committee (2010-2012)
Member of the Faculty Senate (2010-2013)
Member of the Institutional Review Board (2008-2013)
24
REFERENCES
Frederic D. Bushman Ph.D. (Former collaborator)
William Maul Measey Professor in Microbiology Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania 426 Johnson Pavilion Department of Microbiology 3610 Hamilton Walk Philadelphia, PA 19104-6076 Office: (215) 573-8732 Lab: (215) 573-8733 Email: [email protected] http://www.bushmanlab.org
Peter Cherepanov Ph.D. (Familiar with my contributions to science)
Professor Imperial College London Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine South Kensington Campus, Sir Alexander Fleming Building London SW7 2AZ, Office: +44 (0)20 7589 5111 Email: [email protected] http://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/p.cherepanov
Manuel Penichet M.D., Ph.D. (Faculty Advisor, familiar with my contributions to science)
Professor, Surgery Professor, Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics UCLA Surgery Factor Bldg 12-228 10833 Le Conte Ave. BOX 951782, 54-117 CHS Los Angeles, CA 90095 Office: (310) 206-5126 Email: [email protected] https://people.healthsciences.ucla.edu/institution/personnel?personnel_id=105494
Martin E. Fernandez-Zapico M.D. (Research collaborator)
Faculty Consultant, Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology Mayo Clinic 200 1st St SW · Rochester, MN, 55905 Phone: (507) 284-2511 Email: [email protected] https://www.mayo.edu/research/faculty/fernandez-zapico-martin-e-m-d/bio-00027450
Igor C. Almeida Ph.D. (Familiar with my contributions at UTEP)
Professor Professor, Biological Sciences Department The University of Texas at El Paso 500 West University Ave El Paso, TX, 79968 Office: (915) 747-6086
