RESUME

LAKEW G TEMESELEW

ad157r@r.postjobfree.com 240-***-**** Silver Spring, MD 20901

EDUCATION

Virology (Molecular Virology) Ph.D. Howard University, Washington DC, USA 2002 – 2007

Clinical Virology MSc University of Lund, Sweden

Biology/Chemistry BSc Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Professional Experience

Virologist-American International Health Alliance (AIHA)-HIV/AIDS Twining Program, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2012–2023

I thought medical microbiology and immunology to medical students at Adama Hospital Medical College (AHMC) Adama, Ethiopia. I played a leading role in starting a graduate study program-master of science in public health microbiology in which I \thought microbial genetics, advanced virology and immunology. I mentored junior staff to conduct research and the research that we have conducted on the prevalence of anti-microbial drug resistance and the distribution of extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing bacteria in the bacterial isolates was published in international journals. Served as dean of the private medical school at Adama General Hospital Medical College (AGHMC), Adama, Ethiopia for one academic year in 2017. I also thought clinical virology to medical students and coordinated the teaching of medical microbiology at Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia during 1984-1988.

Pre and Post Doctoral Research Fellow NCI/NIH Frederick, MD, USA 2004–2009

Conducted my Ph.D. research to understand the molecular mechanism of the assembly and formation of virus like particles (VLPs) of HIV-1. The experimental approach of inducing site directed mutations on HIV-1 gag gene was followed to characterize the role of the end of Capsid and SP1 in the assembly and formation of VLPs. Molecular techniques including PCR with specifically designed primers, DNA isolation, purification, sequencing and sequence analysis by six frame translation and Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) were extensively used along with the production and purification of recombinant Gag poly proteins in suitable bacterial expression system (E, coli-BL21). In vitro assembly experiment and transfections of mammalian cells (293T) cells were utilized to study the morphology of the assembled VLPs by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The amount of the VLPs formed was assayed by Western Blot (WB). Results obtained from the study was published in the Journal of Virology and described explicitly the molecular virology of HIV-1 and the role of SP1 in the assembly and formation of HIV-1 VLPs. The results of the research further more laid down the foundation for the discovery of antivirals against HIV=1 that are generally termed as assembly and maturation inhibitors. My mentor was Dr. Alan Rein who is the PI of the retroviral assembly laboratory at NCI/NIH in Frederick Maryland, USA.

Biological Information Specialist, Caelum Research Corporation, Rockville, MD, USA 1997-2001

Extracted data from published sources on the acute and chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity of chemical substances to update the Registry of the Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS). I contributed significantly in updating the registry for the stated period of time.

Head, Modern and Traditional Medicine Team, Ethiopian Science and Technology Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 1991-1996

Coordinated the research effort to document the antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants of Ethiopia. Laid down the foundation for the formation of responsible bodies to undertake the enormous task of researching in natural products and their role in health and wellness.

Head of Virology Division, Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 1976–1990

Reorganized the laboratory that was originally owned by the American Navy Medical Research Unit (NAMRU-5). In this laboratory I continued the work that was initiated by NAMRU-5 in studying the virology, immunology and epidemiology of group B arboviruses (Flaviviruses) with particular emphasis on Yellow Fever. Testing arbo-viral antigens and antibodies using the two classical virology methods, Hemagglutination Inhibition Test (HIT) and Complement Fixation Tests (CFT). Following my graduate study in clinical virology in Sweden, I introduced more modern techniques including Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), Immunoelectroosmophoresis (IEOP), Hemolysis in Gel (HIG) and cell culture methods. These techniques were utilized to study the virology/immunology of major viral infections in the country including Viral Hepatitis (Hepatitis B), Rota, Rubella and Influenza. The molecular epidemiology of HBV was also covered in the research. With the advent of HIV/AIDS in the country, rigorous efforts were made to study the virology, immunology and epidemiology of the viral infection. Results obtained from all the investigations were published in peer reviewed international journals and also presented in national and international conferences.

Short Term Assignments

In 2002 I was assigned at Chesapeake Biological Laboratories (CBL), Baltimore, MD, USA to set up the viral immunology laboratory where I organized a fully functional laboratory capable of maintaining Vero cells culture, run ELISA and the viral immunological assay called Plaque Reduction and Neutralization Test (PRNT).

In 2010, I was at Howard University as a post-doctoral research scientist in the department of chemistry to study the effect of silver nano particles on normal mammalian cells and cancerous cells. The MTT cell proliferation assay was employed to study the cytotoxicity of silver nano particles and it was noted that the silver nanoparticles were killing the cells invariably.

In 2011 I was assigned as a scientist to study phage ecology at Walter Reed Army Research Institute (WRARI) in Silver Spring, MD, USA. I was able to purify and characterize phages and explore their potential in the fight against multiple drug resistant bacteria.

Skills

Molecular biology techniques, DNA isolation and purification, DNA sequencing and analysis, creating mutations by PCR on the gene of interest and express the mutation on suitable expression system. Determination of HIV-1 viral load and lymphocytes counting by FACS scan

Production of monoclonal antibodies from transformed human B-lymphocytes and production of antibodies in experimental animals. Application of recombinant DNA technology for protein production and protein purification. HBV DNA polymerase assay and the search for antivirals against HBV.

All immunological methods from the classical to the modern for the diagnosis of viral infections.

Virus isolation and characterization in cell culture and in new borne mice brain. Well trained and knowledgeable on working under various labels of biological safety levels. Purification and characterization of viruses by TEM

Microbiological methods for the isolation and characterization of microbes and antimicrobial sensitivity assay

Isolation and characterization of phages

Organize and lead a virology and viral immunology laboratory

Publication

1. Profile and antimicrobial susceptibility of indoor-air bacteria isolated from different sites of a teaching hospital in Ethiopia: implications for hospital-acquired infections. International Journal of Infection Control. ISSN 1996-9783, March 2016.

2. Prevalence of Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase Producing Enterobacteriaceae: A Cross Sectional Study at Adama Hospital, Adama,Ethiopia. Journal of Emerging Infectious

Diseases. http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/jeid.1000102, 2015

3. Site Directed Mutagenesis Experimental Approach Reveals the Various Functional Domains of HIV-1 Gag Critical for the Assembly Process of the Virus Like Particles (VLPs). (Abstract) Proceeding of International Conference on Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA, 2013), Cape Town, South Africa, December 7-11, 2013

4. The Role of the C-Terminus of Capsid and SP1 of HIV-1 Gag for the Assembly of VLPs. (Abstract) Proceeding of ICASA 2011, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, December 4-8, 2011

5. On the role of the SP1 domain in HIV-1 particle assembly: a molecular switch? Journal of Virology, Vol. 85. No. 9, p. 4111-4121. 2011.

6. Characterization of assembly determinants within the last eleven amino acids of HIV-1 capsid protein. (Abstract) Proceeding of the 107th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Toronto, Canada, May 21-25, 2007

7. Distinct amino acids sequences of HIV-1 Gag that are required for the assembly of virus like particles. (Abstract) Proceeding of ICCAC 45th annual conference of the American Society for microbiology, Washington DC, USA, Dec. 2005

8. Serological study of louse borne and flea borne typhus in Addis Ababa. Ethiop Med J 28:77-80. 1990

9. The distribution of the subtypes of HBsAg in Ethiopia. Int J Epidemiol 15:392-4. 1986

10. Occurrence of hepatitis B surface antigen in various population groups in Ethiopia. Ethiop

Med J 24:63-7. 1986

11. Detection of Circulating Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Immunoglobulin M Complex and its

Diagnostic Value in Hepatitis B. Ethiop Med J Vol. 24, No.4, 1986.

12. Occurrence of influenza antibodies in Addis Ababa. Ethiop Med J 24:145-7. 1986

13. The immune status of young adult females in Ethiopia to rubella virus infection. Bull World Health Organ 63:927-30. 1985

14. Detection of hepatitis B surface antigen from pools of bedbugs, and their possible role in

hepatitis B transmission in Ethiopia. Ethiop Med J 22:77-9. 1984

15. Spectrum of hepatitis B virus infection in Ethiopia.International

Agency for research on Cancer (IARC) Scientific Publication l:213-20. 1984

16. Prevalence of specific markers of viral hepatitis A and B among an Ethiopian population. Bull World Health Organ 61:991-6. 1983

17. Occurrence of hepatitis B surface antigen and its antibody in Ethiopian blood-donors. Ethiop Med J 21:205-8. 1983

18. Comparison between haemagglutination inhibition test and enzyme immunoassay for evaluation of measles immune status and seroconversion to measles vaccine. Ethiop Med J 21:139-42. 1983

19. Sulphadazine resistant Neisseria meningitidis Group A, Immunoelectroosmophoresis technique for the rapid diagnosis of Meningococcal meningitis. Ethiop Med J. 20, 107. 1982

Abstracts Presented in the International HIV/AIDS Conferences

Competition Between HBsAg and HIV for CD4 receptor. VIII th International Conference in HIV/AIDS in Africa, Marrakech, Morrocco, December 12-16, 1993

The Role of HBsAg in Preventing HIV-1 Primary Infection of Human T4 Lymphocytes. IX th International Conference on HIV/AIDS and IV th World Congress of STD. Berlin, Germany, June 7-11, 1993

The Magnitude of HIV-1 Infection in HBsAg Carriers. VII th International Conference on HIV/AIDS in Africa. Younde, Cameroon, December 9-12, 1992

Interaction of HIV and HBV. VIII th International Conference on HIV/AIDS and III rd World Conference on STD. Amesterdam, The Netherlands, July 19-24, 1992

Unusual Western Blot Banding Pattern of few Ethiopian Sera Samples Positive for Both anti HIV-1 and HBsAg. VI th International Conference on HIV/AIDS in Africa. Dakar, Senegal, December 16-19, 1991

The Binding of HBsAg on Human T4 Lymphocytes Indicates the Possibility of the Antigen to Function as Oligopeptide Antagonist to HIV primary Infection of T4 Lymphocytes. V th International Conference on HIV/AIDS. Montreal, Canada, June 4-9, 1989

Prevalence of anti HIV-1 in HBsAg positive patients in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. IV th International Conference on HIV/AIDS, Stockholm, Sweden, June 12-16, 1988

Professional Societies Affiliation and Membership

American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

Ethiopian Public Health Association (EPHA), Life Member

African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM)

Society of AIDS in Africa (SAA)

References

Dr Alan Rein NCI/NIH PI Frederick, MD, USA -301-***-****, ad157r@r.postjobfree.com /

Dr. C. Lee, Chairman, Biology Department, Howard University (HU), Washinton DC, USA. Tele 202-***-****, ad157r@r.postjobfree.com/

Dr. Silashi Garoma, Provost, Adama Hospital Medical College, Adama, Ethiopia. Tele 011************. Email- ad157r@r.postjobfree.com/

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