Xinxu Yuan, PhD

• 2024-present, Senior Scientist, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, VCU
• 2022-2024, Research Scientist, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, VCU
• 2014-2022 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, VCU
• 2011-2013 Postdoctoral Associate, Medical University of South Carolina
• 2009-2011 Lab Manager, Beijing Genomic Institute, P. R. China
• 2004-2009 Ph.D., Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
• 2000-2004 BS, Henan Agricultural University, P. R. China

Current Research Focus: 1. Identification of novel BBB-crossing and microglia-targeting AAV-BM for CRISPR/Cas delivery to cure NeuroHIV and other neurodegenerative diseases. 2. Optimize multiplexed supercompact Cas12f editors for HIV eradication.

Dabbu Kumar Jaijyan, PhD

• 2024-present      Assistant Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.
• 2023-2023           Adjunct Assistant Professor, The College of New Jersey (TCNJ)
• 2019-2023           Research Scientist, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA
• 2016-2023           Teaching assistant and lecturer, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA
• 2014-2019           Postdoctoral research fellow, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA
• 2014-2019           PhD, National Institute of Immunology, India
• 2012-2014           Senior research fellow, National Institute of Immunology, India
• 2008-2012           Junior research fellow, National Institute of Immunology, India
• 2003-2008           BS, Kirorimal College, Delhi University, India

Current Research Focus: 1. Explore targeted virus-like particle (endogenous retrovirus and AAV) delivery of CRISPR/Cas editor for infectious diseases, autoimmunity and aging; 2. Develop BBB-crossing lentivirus-like particles for gene therapy in CNS injuries and diseases; 3. Devlope novel live-attenuated and replication-defected vaccine against DNA viruses

Abdul Rasheed Baloch, PhD

• 2023 (July -)      Post-Doctoral Fellow   Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA
• 2023 (Feb to June)        Post-Doctoral Fellow   Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA
• 2022     Research Officer          Dr Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, Pakistan
• 2021     Research Scientist        Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS), Prague, Czech Republic
• 2019     PhD (Development Biology/Zootechnics)        University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
• 2014     MSc (Basic Veterinary Medicine)        Northwest A&F University, China
• 2011     DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine)            Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan
• 2005     FSc      Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education (BISE) Hyderabad, Pakistan

Current Research Focus: 1. T cell-targeted lipid nanoparticle (LNP) and lentivirus-like particles (LVLP) delivery of CRISPR/Cas editor for HIV cure; 2. Virus infection in human iPSC-derived vascularized microglia-containing cerebral organoids (vMCO); 3. CRIPSR/Cas-mediated manipulation of inflammasome signaling in human iPSC and vMCO.

Abdul Sattar Baloch, DVM, PhD

• 2024-present     Postdoc Associate, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, VCU
• 2017-2023         PhD, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu, China.
• 2014-2017        Research Assistant, Sindh Central Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (CVDL) Tando Jam Sindh, Pakistan
• 2012 – 2014      M.Phil, Sindh Agriculture University Tando jam Sindh, Pakistan.
• 2006 – 2011      DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine), Sindh Agriculture University Tando jam Sindh, Pakistan
• 2003 – 2005      Intermediate (Pre-Medical), Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education (BISE), Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan
• 2001 – 2003      Matriculation (General Science), Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education (BISE), Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan

Current Research Focus: 1. Molecular mechanism of Exin21 boosting on antibody/vaccine/virus/recombinant protein production; 2. mRNA-based gene therapy.

Danmeng Zhang, MD, PhD

• 2024- present   Postdoc Associate, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, VCU
• 2018.4-2023.3 PhD, Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University, Japan
• 2021-2022        Research Assistant, Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University, Japan
• 2018-2020        Teaching Assistant, Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University, Japan
• 2017.9-2018.3 Research student, Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University, Japan
• 2015-2016        Internship, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, China
• 2014-2015        Internship, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, China
• 2011.9-2016.7 MD, Clinical Medicine, Dalian Medical University, China

Current Research Focus: 1. Role and mechanims of NIBP/TRAPPC9 signaling in neurodevelopmental disorders; 2. BBB-crossing and microglia-targeting AAV-BM screening; 3. CRIPSR/Cas-mediated human iPSC-derivded organoid modeling for genetic diseases;