Our lab is focusing on high-throughput recombinant protein expression in eukaryotic systems using viral and non-viral expression systems and downstream purification operations for endotoxin-free production as part of Macromolecular Therapeutics Development Facility. We developed mammalian and insect cell platforms for rapid and scalable production of recombinant proteins such as antibody scaffolds and membrane proteins. Our lab also focuses on High-throughput screening assays for gene expression and ligand-receptor interactions related to target identification and validation in multiple areas including immunology and oncology by using High-throughput suspension cell-based screening system and flow cytometer.

I have been developing protein microarrays to study interactions of proteins and viral epitope screening. During COVID-19 pandemic, we have developed SARS-CoV-2 multi antigen protein arrays to study antibody responses in convalescent plasma samples.

Natalia G. Herrera, Nicholas C. Morano, Alev Celikgil, George I. Georgiev, Ryan J. Malonis, James H. Lee, Karen Tong, Olivia Vergnolle, Aldo B. Massimi, Laura Y. Yen, Alex J. Noble, Mykhailo Kopylov, Jeffrey B. Bonanno, Sarah C. Garrett-Thomson, David B. Hayes, Robert H. Bortz III, Ariel S. Wirchnianski, Catalina Florez, Ethan Laudermilch, Denise Haslwanter, J. Maximilian Fels, M. Eugenia Dieterle, Rohit K. Jangra, Jason Barnhill, Amanda Mengotto, Duncan Kimmel, Johanna P. Daily, Liise-anne Pirofski, Kartik Chandran, Michael Brenowitz, Scott J. Garforth, Edward T. Eng*, Jonathan R. Lai*, and Steven C. Almo*. Characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein: Biophysical, biochemical, structural, and antigenic analysis. ACS Omega 2021, 6, 1, 85-102.

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.0c03512 

Robert H. Bortz III, Catalina Florez, Ethan Laudermilch, Ariel S Wirchnianski, Gorka Lasso, Ryan J Malonis, George I Georgiev, Olivia Vergnolle, Natalia G Herrera, Nicholas C Morano, Sean T Campbell, Erika P. Orner, Amanda Mengotto, M Eugenia Dieterle, Jens Maximilian Fels, Denise Haslwanter, Rohit Jangra, Alev Celikgil, Duncan Kimmel, James H Lee, Margarette Mariano, Antonio Nakouzi, Jose Quiroz, Johanna Rivera, Wendy A Szymczak, Karen Tong, Jason Barnhill, Mattias NE Forsell, Clas Ahlm, Daniel T. Stein, Liise-anne Pirofski, Doctor Y Goldstein, Scott J. Garforth, Steven C. Almo, Johanna P. Daily, Michael B. Prystowsky, James D. Faix, Amy S. Fox,  View ORCID ProfileLouis M. Weiss, Jonathan R. Lai, Kartik Chandran. Single-Dilution COVID-19 Antibody Test with Qualitative and Quantitative Readouts. mSphere 2021, 6, 2. DOI: 10.1128/mSphere.00224-21

M. Li, S. J. Garforth, K. E. O’Connor, H. Su, D. M. Lee, A. Celikgil, R. J. Chaparro, R. D. Seidel, R. B. Jones, R. Arav-Boger, S. C. Almo and H. Goldstein (2021). "T cell receptor–targeted immunotherapeutics drive selective in vivo HIV- and CMV-specific T cell expansion in humanized mice." The Journal of Clinical Investigation 131(23).

https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI141051

N. C. Morano, R. S. Smith, V. Danelon, R. Schreiner, U. Patel, N. G. Herrera, C. Smith, S. M. Olson, M. K. Laerke, A. Celikgil, S. J. Garforth, S. C. Garrett-Thomson, F. S. Lee, B. L. Hempstead and S. C. Almo (2022). "Human immunomodulatory ligand B7-1 mediates synaptic remodeling via the p75 neurotrophin receptor." The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI157002