Luis Montaner

Luis J. Montaner, is a researcher at The Wistar Institute in Philadelphia. His main research focus is the HIV-1 virus and how new immune therapies can strengthen the immune system and offer better treatment options for infected patients. Montaner's laboratory has made several discoveries concerning potential HIV and AIDS treatments. In 2012, his laboratory reported that the AIDS virus could be suppressed by boosting the immune system, thereby reducing patients' reliance on existing antiviral drugs. In 2014, it was announced that the AIDS service organization Philadelphia FIGHT has partnered with the Wistar Institute on the largest clinical trial to date that would use interferon to strengthen the immune system in patients infected with the HIV-1 virus. The clinical trial is supported by a four-year, $6.2 million grant.

• Azzoni L, Foulkes AS, Papasavvas E, Mexas AM, Lynn KM, Mounzer K, Tebas P, Jacobson JM, Frank I, Busch MP, Deeks SG, Carrington M, O'Doherty U, Kostman J, Montaner LJ. Pegylated Interferon Alfa-2a Monotherapy Results in Suppression of HIV Type 1 Replication and Decreased Cell-Associated HIV DNA Integration. J Infect Dis. 2013 Jan;207(2):213-22. Epub 2012 Oct 26.
• Sariol CA, Martinez MI, Rivera F, Rodriguez IV, Pantoja P, Abel K, Arana T, Giavedoni L, Hodara V, White LJ, Anglero YI, Montaner LJ, Kraiselburd EN., Decreased Dengue replication and an increased Anti-viral Humoral Response with the use of combined Toll-like Receptor 3 and 7/8., PLoS One. 2011 Apr 29;6(4):e19323.
• Papasavvas E, Azzoni L, Foulkes A, Violari A, Cotton MF, Pistilli M, Reynolds G, Yin X, Glencross DK, Stevens WS, McIntyre JA, Montaner LJ., Increased microbial translocation in ≤ 180 days old perinatally human immunodeficiency virus-positive infants as compared with human immunodeficiency virus-exposed uninfected infants of similar age. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2011 Oct;30(10):877-82.
• Patro SC, Montaner LJ., Editorial: Is HIV-1 induction of macrophage expression of PD-L1 and PD-L1 its weakest or strongest link to disease? HIV-1 plays both sides by augmenting and limiting T cell activation to survive in vivo., Journal of Leukocyte Biology. 2011 Apr;89(4):495-8.
• Tomescu C, Abdulhaqq S, Montaner LJ., Evidence for the innate immune response as a correlate of protection in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-1 highly exposed seronegative subjects (HESN)., Clinical and Experimental Immunology. 2011 May;164(2):158-69. doi: 10.111/j.1365-2249.2011.04379x. [Epub 2011 Mar 17.]