Mathematical Biologist, Biostatistics Research Branch
Chief Mathematical Biology Section, BRB, DCR
Chief AIDS Imaging Research Section, IRF, DCR
Michele Di Mascio, Ph.D.
Major Areas of Research
The Mathematical Biology Section (MBS) studies mathematical and computational modeling of viral and T-cell dynamics, the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of antiretroviral therapy, and Positron Emission Tomography (PET)-tracer dynamics using preclinical data primarily produced in a parallel program of the Division of Clinical Research (AIDS Imaging Research Section (AIRS)).
Mathematical Biology Section
- Modeling viral dynamics of HIV\SIV infection
- Modeling T-cell dynamics during HIV\SIV infection and antiretroviral therapy
- Modeling tissue pharmacokinetics of antiretroviral therapy
- Modeling Positron Emission Tomography tracer dynamics
MBS staff
- Di Mascio, Michele (NIH/NIAID) [E] – Section Chief/ Mathematical Biologist
- Srinivasula, Sharat (NIH/NIAID) [C]- Biostatistician IV, Imager
- Hyukjin, Jang (NIH/NIAID) [C]- Biostatistician I, Imager
- Insook, Kim (NIH/NIAID) [C]- Senior Scientist, Radiochemist
AIDS Imaging Research Section
Preclinical and translational molecular imaging to study the pathogenesis of HIV infection using the SIV nonhuman primate model. Development and experimental testing in vitro and in vivo of novel radiolabeled-probes for Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT\CT) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET\CT) imaging in the following areas of application:
- Whole body T-cell pool
- Immune activation in the natural and non-natural host of SIV infection
- Antiviral drug-delivery strategies (Lipid-based nanoparticles) and whole-body pharmacokinetics
- Viral replication in anatomic compartments
- Neuroinflammation
AIRS staff
- Di Mascio, Michele (NIH/NIAID) [E] – Section Chief/ AIDS Imaging Research Section
- (AIRS) Brad Long (NIH/NIAID) [C]- Lead Research Support Specialist
- (AIRS) Heather Brown (NIH/NIAID) [C]- Laboratory Animal Technician III
- (AIRS) Viviana Dalton (NIH/NIAID) [C]- Laboratory Animal Technician III
Biography
Dr. Di Mascio is the Chief of the AIDS Imaging Research Section of the Integrated Research Facility and the Chief of the Mathematical Biology Section of the Biostatistics Research Branch, at the Division of Clinical Research of NIAID. He holds a degree in Electronic Engineering, a M.S. degree in Bioengineering, a degree in Biology and a M.S. degree in Biotechnology from the University of Ancona, Italy. He earned his PhD in Pharmacology from the Mario Negri Institute, in Italy. From 1999 to 2003, he was post-doctoral research associate at the Theoretical Division of the Los Alamos National Laboratory of Los Alamos, NM. He moved to NIH in 2003 where he developed the first core laboratory facility in the agency to perform in vivo Imaging studies of SIV/SHIV infected nonhuman primates, for which he received NIAID Special Act Award.
His program made the finding of lower penetration of antiretroviral therapy in lymph nodes and spleen using animal models and in vivo imaging technology, an observation that has been later confirmed in patients. By labeling a probe to the CD4 receptor his team has also provided the first whole-body dynamics of immune system depletion and reconstitution of nonhuman primates in the settings of SIV infection and antiretroviral therapy or following total body irradiation and hematopoietic stem cells
transplantation. This imaging work has also shown that the size of the CD4 pool in the gut is much lower than previously estimated in literature and provided the first estimate of CD4 molarity in the spleen and lymph nodes of healthy animals, through mathematical modeling of in vivo PET tracer kinetics. By using FDG-PET, his program has also provided evidence of brain inflammation through in vivo imaging in rhesus macaques infected with non-neurovirulent strains of SIV.
Contact Information
Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, The National
Institutes of Health- Office: 5601 Fishers Lane, Room 4D20,Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
Lab: 16701 Elmer School Road, Bldg. 102, Dickerson, MD, 20842.
Cell : 1-301-793-2785. Office: 1-240-669-5262
Email: mdimascio@niaid.nih.gov
Recent Talks
Fully Quantitative Pet Imaging Unravels The Relative Size Of Gut Cd4 Pool.
Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. CROI 2021 abstract #202
In-vivo Imaging Using Anti-env Probes In Siv Infected Monkeys: A Reproducibility Study.
International AIDS Society. IAS 2021 abstract #2555
Nef-stop Repair Dynamics, But Not Anti-α4β7, Influence Posttreatment Viral Control.
Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. CROI 2019 abstract #137
Selected Publications
Kim I., Srinivasula S., DeGrange P., Long B., Jang H., Carrasquillo J.A., Lane H.C., Di Mascio M. Quantitative PET imaging of the CD4 pool in nonhuman primates. Eur. J. Nucl. Med. & Mol. Imaging, 2022 Aug 27:50 (14-26).
Sinharay S., Srinivasula S., Schreiber-Stainthorp W., Shah S., Degrange P., Bonvillain A., Wang J., Dodd L., Carrasquillo J.A., Hammoud D.A., Di Mascio M. Monitoring Immune Activation with Whole-Body Fluorodeoxyglucose–Positron-Emission Tomography in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus–Infected Rhesus Macaques. ImmunoHorizons, 2021 July 5: (7):557-567.
Di Mascio M., Lifson J.J.,Srinivasula S., DeGrange P., Keele B., Proschan M., Lane H.C., Fauci A.S. Evaluation of an antibody to Alpha4Beta7 in the control of SIV infection. Science, 2019 Sep 6: 354(6457):1025-1029.
Srinivasula S., Gabriel E., Kim I., DeGrange P., St Claire A., Mallow C., Donahue R.E., Paik C., Lane H.C., Di Mascio M. CD4+ levels control the odds of induction of humoral immune responses to tracer doses of therapeutic antibodies. PLOS One PLoS One. 2017 Nov 9;12(11): e0187912.
Donahue RE, Srinivasula S, Uchida N, Kim I, St Claire A, Duralde G, DeGrange P, St
Claire M, Reba RC, Bonifacino AC, Krouse AE, Metzger ME, Paik CH, Lane HC, Tisdale JF, Di Mascio M. Discordance in lymphoid tissue recovery following stem cell transplantation in rhesus macaques: an invivo imaging study. Blood 2015 Dec 10: 126(24):2632-41
Deeks SG, Autran B, Berkhout B, Benkirane M, Cairns S, Chomont N, Chun TW, Churchill
M, Di Mascio M., Katlama C, Lafeuillade A, Landay A, Lederman M, Lewin SR, Maldarelli F, Margolis D, Markowitz M, Martinez-Picado J, Mullins JI, Mellors J, Moreno S, O'Doherty U, Palmer S, Penicaud MC, Peterlin M, Poli G, Routy JP, Rouzioux C, Silvestri G, Stevenson M, Telenti A, Lint CV, Verdin E, Woolfrey A, Zaia J, Barré-Sinoussi F. Towards an HIV cure: a global scientific strategy.The International AIDS Society Scientific Working Group
on HIV Cure Nat Rev Immunol. 2012 Jul 20:12(8):607-614