EDWARD ACHEAMPONG, PhD

Williamstown, NJ 08094 (856) 313-4882 eacheamp@yahoo.com

PROFILE
Research scientist/educator with PhD and 13+ years experience in microbiology/molecular biology with
specific expertise in HIV and infectious disease. Extensive knowledge of in vitro lab techniques and assay
development. Collaborative leader who drives innovative and disruptive research (11+ studies), generating
$1M+ in NIH grants. Co-author of 60+ peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and conference presentations.
T E C H N I C A L

E X P E R T I S E

Tissue Culture ELISA Immunocytochemistry Protein Expression in Baculovirus Vectors Bacterial/Mammalian Protein
Expression Systems Protein Purification, Ion Exchange, Affinity Chromatography, Gel Filtration HPLC GC-MS Molecular
Cloning Plasmid Construction Antibody Isolation, Cloning and Characterization Transient Transfection Retroviral
Transduction RT-PCR Western/Southern/Northern Blot Flow Cytometry (FACS)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, NJ MEDICAL SCHOOL
Research Associate, Public Health Research Institute

NEWARK, NJ
2010 2/2015

As part of $10M study, Strategies for Eliciting Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies against Conserved HIV-1

Quaternary Epitopes (QNEs), sought to isolate/characterize novel antibodies and determine sequence/structure
of target epitopes. Tested 30 immunization/infection strategies to determine how to reproducibly induce
neutralizing activities isolated 10 antibodies and identified two most potent in ability to neutralize a global
panel of 70 molecularly cloned HIV-1 Env pseudoviruses.
DREXEL UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
Senior Research Associate, Department of Microbiology and Immunology

PHILADELPHIA, PA
2009 2010
Trafficking of Immune Cells into Central Nervous System (CNS) During Neuroinflammation: Introduced/designed

in vitro blood brain barrier (BBB) model and in vivo intravital videomicroscopy to study the trafficking of
immune cells during neuroinflammation. Identified specific mechanistic components of the migration of T-cells
as well as dendritic cells into the CNS using the BBB model. Gained an insight into how immune cells cross the
BBB during CNS autoimmune inflammation.
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY, JEFFERSON MEDICAL COLLEGE
Center for Human Virology and Biodefense, Div of Infectious Diseases and Environmental Medicine
Research Associate (2004 2009), Post-Doctoral Fellow (2001 2004)
Executed ten studies:

PHILADELPHIA, PA
2001 2009

Effects of HIV-1 Proteins on the Human Blood Brain Barrier (BBB). Demonstrated for first time that most of
neuronal programmed cell-death during HIV infection is due to direct viral gene products and not cellular
co-factors.

Statins, Cholesterol and HIV-1 Neuropathogenesis. Demonstrated that HMG-CoA reductase and statins
inhibit HIV-1 induced oxidative stress in neurons led to Pfizer Atorvastatin Research Award (ARA) of $100K.

Transmigration of HIV-1 Infected Cells in NeuroAIDS. Demonstrated the potentials of the anti-inflammatory
agents, statins, in inhibiting viral entry into the brain led to NIH/NIMH R21 grant of $500K.

Down-modulation of the CXCR4 Co-receptor by Intracellular Expression of a Single Chain Variable Fragment.
Demonstrated that intracellular expression of a single chain variable antibody fragment (SFv), anti-CXCR4
SFv in human neurons and brain micro-vascular endothelial cells suppresses the surface expression of CXCR4
and subsequently protected these cells from HIV-1 infection.

RESUME: Edward Acheampong, PhD

(856) 313-4882 eacheamp@yahoo.com

Effects of HIV-1-induced Oxidative Stress on an In Vitro Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) Model. Employing an in

vitro cell culture model mimicking BBB, demonstrated that HIV-1-induced oxidative stress has adverse
effects on the expression of tight junction associated proteins received a Translational Research Award of
$20,000 from Thomas Jefferson University.

RNAi and HIV-1 Infection of the Central Nervous System (CNS). Created RNAi moieties to inhibit specific viral
and cellular targets towards inhibiting HIV-1 replication in CNS.

Astrocytes and Restricted HIV-1 Replication. Identified the role of DDX1 and other helicases in preventing
replication of HIV-1 in primary human astrocytes.

Hypoglycemia Effects on the In Vitro Blood-Brain Barrier. Showed that glycemic variations facilitate
transmigration of immune cells across the blood brain barrier led to Diabetes Trust Foundation Award.

Molecular Interactions of HIV-1 with Primary Human Oral Keratinocytes. Demonstrated that oral
keratinocytes are productively infected by various HIV-1 isolates and infectivity is dramatically increased by
physiologically relevant levels of dNTPs, spermine and spermidine.

Effects of Alcohol and HIV-1 proteins on Blood Brain Barrier. Demonstrated that physiologically relevant
levels of alcohol augment apoptotic effects of HIV-1 proteins and may be critical co-factor in HIV-1
neuroinvasion received $471K grant.

EDUCATION + CERTIFICATIONS
MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND
PhD, Microbiology; MSc, Biochemistry

NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA

UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

BSc, Biological Sciences

KUMASI, GHANA

Certificate, CRA/CRC, Rutgers University

SELECT PRESENTATIONS
Sharrn L. Manuel, Todd Schell, Edward Acheampong, Saifur Rahman, Zafar K. Khan, and Pooja Jain. Role of
dendritic cells in priming cellular immune responses during HTLV-1-associated neuroinflammatory disease. 9th
International Symposium on NeuroVirology. 2009. Miami, FL.
Acheampong, E, Kong, E, Khan, MA, Pomerantz, RJ, Mukhtar, M and Parveen, Z. Spleen Necrosis Virus (SNV)
Based Vectors Could Efficiently Transfer Small Inhibitory RNA (siRNA) Against the Chemokine Receptor CCR5
into the Human Brain Cells to Block HIV-1 Entry. 8th International Symposium on NeuroVirology. 2007. San
Diego, CA.
Acheampong, EA, Parveen, Z, Mengistu, A, Ngoubilly, N, Pomerantz, RJ. and Mukhtar, M. The cholesterol
depleting drugs stating protect post-mitotic ally Differentiated human neurons against ethanol and HIV-1Induced oxidative stress in vitro. 7th International Symposium on NeuroVirology 2006. Philadelphia, PA.

RESUME: Edward Acheampong, PhD

(856) 313-4882 eacheamp@yahoo.com

SELECT PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

Rahman, S., Manuel, S., Khan, Z. K., Wigdahl, B., Tangy, F., Acheampong, E., and P. Jain. 2010. Depletion of
Dendritic Cells Enhances susceptibility to cell-free but not cell-associated infection of HTLV-1 in CD11c-DTRtransgenic mice. Journal of Immunology 184: 5553-5561.
Manuel, S., T. Schell, E. Acheampong, S. Rahman, Z. K. Khan, and P. Jain. 2009. Presentation of HTLV-1 Tax
protein by dendritic cells: the underlying mechanism of HTLV-1 associated neuroinflammatory disease, Journal
of Leukocyte Biology 86: 1-12.
Acheampong, EA, Roschel, C, Mukhtar, M, Srinivasan, A, Rafi, M, Pomerantz, RJ, and Parveen, Z. 2009. Combined
Effects of Hyperglycemic Conditions and HIV-1 Nef: A Potential Model for Induced HIV Neuropathogenesis.
Virology 6: 183.
Argyris EG, Acheampong E, Wang F, Huang J, Chen K, Mukhtar M, Zhang H. 2007. The interferon-induced
expression of APOBEC3G in human blood-brain barrier exerts a potent intrinsic immunity to block HIV-1 entry to
central nervous system. Virology 367: 440-51.
Parveen, Z., Acheampong, E., Pomerantz, RJ, Jacobson, JM, Wigdahl, B. and Mukhtar, M. 2007. Effects of Highly
Active Antiretroviral Therapy on HIV-1-Associated oral Complications. Current HIV-1 Research 5: 281-292.
Cheng, X-D., Mukhtar, M., Acheampong, EA. Srinivasan, A., Rafi, M., Pomerantz, RJ. and Parveen, Z. 2007. HIV-1
Vpr Potently Induces Programmed Cell Death in the CNS In Vivo. DNA Cell Biol. 26:192.
Acheampong, EA, Parveen, Z, Mengistu, A, Ngoubilly, N, Wigdahl, B, Lossinsky, AS, Pomerantz, R, Mukhtar, M.
2007. The Cholesterol Depleting Drugs Statin Protect Post-Mitotic ally Differentiated Human Neurons Against
Ethanol and HIV-1-Induce Oxidative Stress In Vitro. J. Virology 81: 1492-1501.
Argyris E.G., Acheampong E., Wang F., Huang J., Chen K., Mukhtar M., and H. Zhang. 2007. The IFN-induced
expression of APOBEC3G in human blood brain barrier exerts a potent intrinsic immunity to block HIV-1 entry to
central nervous system. Virology. 367:440-451, 2007.
Barodka, VM, Acheampong, E, Powell, G, Lobach, L, Logan, DA, Parveen, Z, Armstead, V, Mukhtar, M. 2006.
Antimicrobial effects of liquid anesthetic isoflurane on Candida albicans. Journal of Translational Medicine 4:
1479-5876.
Acheampong, EA, Parveen, Z., Muthoga, LW, Kalayeh, M., Mukhtar, M. and Pomerantz, RJ. 2005. Human
Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Nef Potently Induces Apoptosis in Human Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells
(MVECs) Via the Activation of Caspases. J Virol. 79:4257-69.

SELECT BOOK CHAPTERS

Parveen, Z., Acheampong, E., Pomerantz, RJ and Mukhtar, M. Neurovirological Aspects of HIV Infection in the
HAART Era. 2008. In: The Spectrum of Neuro-AIDS Disorders: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment. K.
Goodkin et al. (eds.). ASM Press, Washington, DC. Pp123-135.
Acheampong, E., Mukhtar, M. and Pomerantz, RJ. Alcohol and HIV-1 Neuropathogenesis. 2005. In: Howard
Gendelman, et al., (eds.), The Neurology of AIDS, 2nd edition, Oxford Press, Oxford, England. Pp, 829.