Title

• Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Montreal.

Education

• Posdoctorate, Microbiology, University of Lausanne, 1999.

• PhD, Microbiology, University of Montreal, 1997.

Research Interests

Hugo Soudeyn trained in microbiology and immunology. He has been mostly active in three main areas of HIV/AIDS research.

The development and testing of antiretroviral drugs
This work, performed during my master's degree, led to the identification of lamivudine (3TC), a widely-prescribed antiretroviral compound.

The molecular genetics of HIV-1 gene expression
This work led to the identification of intragenic hormone response elements within the HIV-1 genome.

The study of host cell-mediated immune responses during acute and chronic HIV infection
We observed TCR chain-specific expansions of T cells during primary HIV infection (PI), and realized that these expanded cell populations comprised HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). We discovered that some of these clones underwent clonal exhaustion during PI, studied the compartmentalization of HIV-specific CTL between lymph nodes and peripheral blood, identified molecular evidence for the selection of CTL escape mutants during PI, and defined the effects of antiretrovirals on the mobilization of CTL responses.

In collaboration with the CHU Sainte-Justine Centre maternel et infantile sur le sida, Dr Soudeyns has been involved in long-term efforts to characterize CTL responses in HIV-infected children. This work led to the identification of important differences in cell-mediated immunity between adults and children, and contributed to the understanding of the pathogenesis of paediatric HIV infection. In January 2000, Dr Soudeyns opened a research unit devoted to the study of viral immuno-pathology and childhood auto-immune diseases. His primary research interests now focus on mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV), HCV-specific cell-mediated immunity during pregnancy and childhood, as well as T cell migration and targeting.

• PhD thesis featured on the Dean's Honor List, McGill University, 1997.

• New Investigator Award (Basic Science), Canadian Association for HIV Research, 1996.