Elizabeth Rivera Mateo, B.S, M.Ed
Laboratory Supervisor

My project involves the study of HIV neuropathology caused by HIV proteins (ex. Vpr and Tat) alone or in the presence of drugs of abuse such as morphine, cocaine and their combination (speedball) in primary rat astrocytes. Cells are exposed to these neurotoxins by transient transfection and we measure the expression of several cytokines and chemokines at the mRNA and protein level; using Real Time RT-PCR and ELISA. Aside for that, I am working in the isolation of primary neurons from adult rats to perform same assays as with rat astrocytes.
 

Lucianette Maldonado Rodríguez, B.S
Laboratory Technician

My project involves the production and purification of recombinant neurotoxic HIV proteins (Tat, Nef and Vpr) using size exclusion and Ni-NTA affinity chromatography with SDS page analysis for protein characterization. Also I work culturing primary rat astrocytes for treatment with these proteins to study changes in inflammation and cytokine production. Currently I am also working to isolate and culture adult primary rat neurons for use in similar studies.