With the recent observance of World AIDS Day on December 1, 2021, which marks 40 years since the first appearance of AIDS, we are recognizing the NIAID recipients of the 2021 Intramural AIDS Research Fellowship (IARF): Myungjin Lee, Ph.D.; Pedro Lopes, Ph.D.; and Jen Simpson, Ph.D. The fellowship provides funding to predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows from across the intramural research program to conduct cross-disciplinary HIV and AIDS research. The 11 fellows selected in 2021 represent six NIH Institutes, demonstrating the broad range of scientific investigation disciplines applicable to HIV and AIDS research.
Even within NIAID, the research areas of this year’s fellows span the spectrum of intramural laboratories. Myungjin Lee, Ph.D., a computational chemist at the Vaccine Research Center, is using this opportunity to analyze the structure of HIV, specifically the glycans on the HIV protein surface and evaluating transition states between close and open forms of the HIV-1 envelope trimer through molecular simulations. When asked about her inspiration for applying for the IARF, she said, “I came to the realization there are ample opportunities to contribute my expertise in vaccine design toward the ending of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.” She plans to use this opportunity as a springboard toward her ultimate career goal of being a principal investigator and values the career development element of the grant.
Pedro Lopes, Ph.D., is a postdoc in the Fungal Pathogenesis Section of the Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, where he works on the one of most common infections affecting people with HIV/AIDS, mucosal Candida infections. His work focuses on understanding the mechanisms of fungal infection susceptibility in those living with HIV by mapping possible cellular and molecular impaired mechanisms of antifungal defense during oral infection. Inspired by the broad research conducted by previous recipients, he applied for the IARF to meaningfully contribute to HIV/AIDS research and ultimately improve patients’ lives. He also touted the professional and career development elements as an important a step on his way to independence.
Jen Simpson, Ph.D., was initially focused on evaluating antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in multiple anatomical sites during SIV infection in nonhuman primates in her postdoc and has used the fellowship to expand upon this research to investigate the T-cell receptor repertoire of SIV-specific CD8+ T cells during multiple stages of infection. She has been working on identifying the role of these cells in acute infection and during antiretroviral treatment. Jen explained how the IARF application was an introduction to grant writing, a key piece of a scientist’s toolkit: “Applying for the IARF provided me with valuable experience in writing and applying for a grant-like fellowship, a useful skill in any scientific career.”
The IARF attracts passionate researchers from across NIH through its application of diverse research specializations to HIV/AIDS research. By providing funding and professional development support to graduate students and postdocs, the IARF is developing the next generation of HIV/AIDS researchers with the hope of ultimately ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Interested and eligible fellows can apply to the fellowship in mid-March; it closes in early April.
NIAID 2021 Intramural AIDS Research Fellows
Myungjin Lee, Ph.D., Structural Biology Section, Virology Laboratory, VRC
Mentor: Peter Kwong, Ph.D.
Project Title: Study of Dynamics Between Three States of HIV-1 Envelop Trimer by Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Development of a Web-Based Server To Quantify Glycan Coverage of Glycoproteins
Pedro Lopes, Ph.D., Laboratory of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology, DIR
Mentor: Michail Lionakis, M.D., Sc.D.
Project Title: Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Impaired IL-17 Mucosal Antifungal Defense During SIV Infection
Jen Simpson, Ph.D., Barrier Immunity Section, Laboratory of Viral Diseases, DIR
Mentor: Jason Brenchley, Ph.D.
Project Title: Mechanisms Underlying Development of Tissue-Resident CD8 T Cells in SIV-Infected Nonhuman Primates
Learn more about the Intramural AIDS Research Fellowship (IARF).