Molecular and Genetic Medicine

Aslanidi GV

Biography

My research focuses on development, production and application of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) as a gene therapy vector. In my postdoctoral trainings I gained substantial experience in two distinct areas of research such as gene therapy and dendritic-cell based immunotherapy. Since my first independent position I became interesting in combine these too approaches and development of novel AAV-based vectors for potential use for efficient dendritic cells loading. In recent studies I have investigated the possibility of using rAAV vectors for immune system modulation, including both the induction (Vaccine, 2012; Immunology & Cell Biology, 2013) and avoidance (PNAS, 2011) of antigen-specific responses, depending on therapeutic needs.The strategies include the use of AAV vectors to deliver and regulate therapeutic transgenes and on efforts to retarget such vectors to provide a more specific and efficient means for AAV-based therapies. 

• MS in Biophysics, Tbilisi State University, Republic of Georgia, 1993.
• MS in Biology, Pushchino State University, Russia, 1995.
• PhD in Biophysics, Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Pushchino, Russia, 2004.
• Postdoctoral Associate, Dep. of Pediatrics, University of Florida, 2005-2008. 
• Postdoctoral Associate, Dep. of Urology, University of Florida, 2008-2009
• Research Assistant Professor, University of Florida, Dep. of Pediatrics, 2010-present

Research Interest

production and application of recombinant adeno-associated virus