dramelendezLoyda M. Melendez, Ph.D.

Educational Background:

  • B.S. Medical Technology, University of Puerto Rico, R.P. , P.R.1979
  • M.S. Microbiology, University of Georgia, 1981
  • Ph. D. Exp. Path/Immunology, Emory University and CDC, Altanta, GA, 1990
  • Post-doctoral training in Immunohematology/Cytometry, Emory University Pathology Dept, Altanta, GA, 1991 ; and in Pediatrics Infectious Diseases: Role of the placenta in HIV transmission, Emory University Pediatrics, Altanta, GA, 1992

Academic Position: Professor

Academic Address, Telephone & E-Mail:

Dept. of Microbiology and Zoology,
University of Puerto Rico-School of Medicine,
P.O. Box 365067,
San Juan, P.R. 00936-5067

Phone: (787) 758-6132

e-mail: loyda.melendez@upr.edu

Fields of Interest: HIV pathogenesis, neuroscience, and proteomics

  • Modulation of cystatins and cathepsins in HIV Neuropathogenesis. Current studies will determine the role of macrophage cystatins, cathepsins, and the proteins affected by their deregulation in HIV replication and neurotoxicity.

  • RCMI Translational Proteomics Center. In the second cycle of this 5-year grant (2011-2016) the major goals of this activity are to expand our research core capabilities in Clinical and Basic Science Proteomics and to increase research productivity of Puerto Rico investigators using Proteomics that would lead to improved diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring in health disparities. Infrastructure support provided in part by grants from the National Center for Research Resources (2G12 RR003051) and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (8G12MD007600)

Experience mentoring students:

Dr. Melendez has mentored 23 undergraduates, 5 MS, 10 PhD students, and 2 Post-doctoral trainees in the area of HIV pathogenesis over the past 19 years. The most recent post-doc at her lab, Dr. Linda Rivera, was awarded an F32 from NINDS.

Table 1. Students mentored by Dr. Loyda Melendez in chronological order

Name of Past and Current Students

Undergrad (UG) Graduate (G) Student

Period of Time Mentored

Current Status

Past Students

Marinés Plaud

(G) MS

1993-1996

Research Associate
UPR-MSC

Jessicca Renta

(G) MS

1994-1997

Research Associate
UPR MSC

Johana Meléndez

(G) MS

1996-1998

Flow Cytometry Assistant Director-Moffit Cancer Center

Fernando Soto

(UG)

1994-1995

MD

Monica Grafals

(UG)

1995

MD

Gill Nieves

(UG)

1996-1997

MD

Zulma Carrasquillo

(UG)

1997

Robert Bowles

(UG)

1999

MD

Mariela Agosto

(UG)

2000

MD

Yaritza Puig

(UG)

2000

MD

Gisela Torres

Harvard Medical Student

1999-2000

M.D. U. Texas

Zulma Sánchez

(UG)

2000-2001

U.de Colombia

Rafael Contreras

(UG)

2000-2001

Post-Doctoral US

Sylvia Berríos

(UG)

Summer-2001

MD

Johanna Méndez

(UG)

Summer-2001

MD

Miguel Arroyo

(G) PhD

1996-2001

Researcher: Walter Reed Army Research Institute

Manuel Santiago

(UG)

2000-2001

Graduate Student-School of Public Health

Johanna Díaz

(G) PhD

Summer-2001

Doctoral

Aksim G. Rivera

(UG)

2001

UG-UPR System

Lynnette López

(UG)

2001

MD PhD student

Lourdes Rodriguez

(UG)

Summer 2004

UG-UPR System

Edwin Sánchez

(G) PhD

1998-2003

Research Scientist
Abbott Labs

Pedro Vélez

(G) MS MD

2001-2003

MD

Dianedis Toro

(G) PhD

2001-2008

Assistant Professor UPR Bayamon

Claribel Luciano

(G) PhD

2003-2008

Assistant Professor Escuela de Medicina SJ Bautista

Ixane Velazquez

(G) MS

2005-2008

Beckton Dickinson

Lynette Bosques

(UG)

Summer 2006

MD-PhD-US- Yale U

Stephanie Dorta

(UG)

2006-2007

PhD student-U. Texas

Katia Garcia

(G) PhD

2003-2009

RISE, NIH Post-doctoral

Rafael Romeu

(UG)

2009-2010

Med School UCC

Christian Avilés

(UG)

2010-present

UPR

Maria del Carmen Lopez

(UG)

2010-present

UPR

Eillen Rodriguez

(G) PhD

2007-2011

Researcher, Amgen

Silvia Kares

Lawyer

2010-2011

Medical School

Viviana Melendez

(UG)

Summer 2011

NIH Post-BS

Present Students

Krystal Colon

(G) PhD

2009-present

RISE, Doctoral

Yisel Cantres

(G) PhD

2010-present

RISE, Doctoral

Frances Zenón

(G) PhD

2010-present

Doctoral

Raymond Quiles

(UG)

2011-present

Interamericana and UPR-Rio Piedras NeuroID

Gisela Delgado

(UG)

2011-present

UPR

Selected peer-reviewed publications

  1. Melendez L, Nicholson J, and MacDougal S. 1990. Infection of Human Monocytes with HIV-1Ba-L. Effect on Accessory Cell Function for T-Cell Proliferation In Vitro. AIDS Res and Human Retroviruses 7(5): 465-474.

  2. Arroyo MA, Tien H, Pagán M, Swanstrom R, Hillyer GV, Cadilla CL, and L.M. Meléndez-Guerrero. 2002. Virologic Risk Factors for Vertical Transmission of HIV Type 1 in Puerto Rico. AIDS Res and Human Retroviruses. April 2002, 18(6): 447-460.

  3. Laspiur J, Anderson E, Ciborowski, P, Wojna V, Plaud-Valentin,M., Rodriguez, E., Duan F., Wojna V, Mayo R, Rodríguez-Orengo J, Gendelman HE, and Meléndez LM. 2007.CSF proteomics in HIV-1 associated cognitive impairment. J. Neuroimmunol. 192:157-170.

  4. Rozek, W, Ricardo-Dukelow M, Holloway S, Gendelman HE, Wojna V, Melendez LM, and Ciborowski P. 2007. Cerebrospinal fluid proteomics profiling of HIV-1-infected patients with or at risk for cognitive impairment. J Proteome Research. 6:4189-4199.

  5. Luciano-Montalvo C and Melendez, LM. 2009. Cystatin B Associates with signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 in monocyte-derived and placental macrophages. Placenta 30:464-467.

  6. Velázquez I, Plaud M, Pérez-Laspiur J, Skolasky R, Wojna V and Meléndez LM. 2009. Antioxidant enzyme dysfunction in monocytes and CSF of Hispanic women with HIV-associated cognitive impairment. J Neuroimmunol 209:206-211.

  7. Toro Nieves D, Perez Laspiur J, Ciborowski P, Duan F, Wojna V, Meléndez LM. 2009. Proteomic analysis of HIV-1 infected monocyte-derived macrophage following infection with primary viral strains isolated from Hispanic women with cognitive impairment”. J Neurovirology 1:36-50.

  8. Kraft-Terry S, Gerena Y, Wojna V, Plaud-Valentin M, Rodriguez Y, Ciborowski P, Mayo R, Skolasky R, Gendelman HE, Melendez LM. 2010. Proteomics analysis of monocytes from Hispanic women with HIV-associated dementia show depressed antioxidants. J. Proteomics and Clinical Applications 4:710-714.

  9. Peters J, Dieppa-Perea L, Melendez LM, Quirk GJ. 2010. Induction of fear extinction with hippocampus infralimbic BDNF. Science 238:1288-1290.

  10. Melendez LM, Colon K, Rivera L Rodriguez-Franco E, and Toro-Nieves D (Mentee, RISE). 2011. Proteomic analysis of HIV-infected macrophages. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 6:89-106.

  11. Rivera L, Perez-Laspiur J, Colon, K, and Melendez, L. 2011. Inhibition of interferon response by cystatin B: Implication in HIV replication of macrophage reservoirs. J Neurovirology 18:20-9.

  12. Rodriguez E, Cantres Y, Plaud M, Romeu R, Rodriguez Y, Skolasky R, Melendez V, Cadilla C, and Melendez L. 2012. Dysregulation of macrophage-secreted cathepsin B contributes to HIV-1-linked neuronal apoptosis. PLoS ONE 7(5): e36571. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0036571.

  13. Cantres Y, Plaud-Valentin M, Gerena Y, Skolasky R, Wojna V, Meléndez LM. Dysregulation of cathepsin B and its inhibitor cystatin B in monocytes and CSF from women with HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment. AIDS. 2013 Jan 28; 27(3):347-56

Book Chapters

  1. Gendelman, H, Anderson E, Melendez, L, and Zheng, J. Chemokines and their receptors in HIV-1 neuropathogenesis. 2006. In Vivo Models of HIV Disease and Control. Eds H. Friedman, S. Specter, andM. Bendinelli. Springer. p. 45-80.

  2. Melendez, L.M., Luciano, C. Mayo-Santana R., Wojna, V. Ethnicity and Neuro-AIDS Conditions in the HAART Era. 2009. In “The Spectrum of NeuroAIDS Disorders: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment”. ASM Press. p. 427-441.

Patent: A method of reducing HIV-Replication on human body tissuecomprising down regulating the expression of the proteinCystatin B on said human body tissue Pat No. 8,143,231.