Patient Care Bio
Dr. Gelbard is the Director of the Center for Neural Development and Disease and Professor of Neurology, Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Dr. Gelbard has 25 years of experience as a molecular neuropharmacologist, working in experimental models of neuroAIDS and HIV-1 neuroinflammation since 1992. As the leader of the NeuroAIDS research group in the UR's NIH-funded Development Center for AIDS Research and PO1 MH64570, in collaboration with Drs. Steve Dewhurst and Sanjay Maggirwar from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dr. Gelbard has worked to develop new therapies for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) over the past several years with a programmatic effort funded by the NIMH for over 10 years.
Our approach is to develop strategies to target mixed lineage kinase (MLK)-3, an upstream kinase that regulates neuroinflammation and neuronal function/fate through effects on downstream kinases, including Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Working with our industry partner, Califia Bio (San Diego, CA), we have developed novel, brain-penetrant small molecules that efficiently inhibit MLK-3, Dr. Gelbard's lab is in the process of testing these new inhibitors in in vitro and in vivo models for HAND. Dr. Gelbard serves on numerous advisory boards of Center, U-level and P-level grants investigating the pathogenesis and treatment of HAND. He is the chair of the external advisory committee to the CNS HIV Anti-Retroviral Therapy Effects Research ("CHARTER," NIMH and NINDS N01 MH22005, 2002-2015), and a member of the Neurology Scientific Advisory Board to the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS) network (NICHD U01 HD052104, 2009-2014). Dr. Gelbard is the associate editor for the 3rd edition of The Neurology of AIDS (Oxford Press).
