From Awareness to Advocacy to Cutting Edge Research: Inspiring Change on World AIDS Day
Join the College of Science Alumni Board in honor of World Aids Day with a special webinar featuring Dr. Yuntao Wu and Matty Helton.
RSVP to receive the webinar link.
About our Speakers:
Dr. Yuntao Wu is a professor at NCBID, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, USA. He has been studying viruses for over 30 years, and for the past 20 years, he has been primarily focused on studying HIV infection of blood CD4 T cells and macrophages. Dr. Wu received his Ph.D. in Molecular Virology from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. He received his postdoctoral training at NIH, studying HIV-1 pre-integration transcription in blood resting CD4 T cells (Science, 2001, 293:1503). Currently, his lab studies chemokine co-receptor signaling and role of cofilin in HIV infection and pathogenesis (Cell, 2008, 134:782; Science Advances, 2019, 5:eaat7911). Recently, his lab also studies the mechanisms of PSGL-1 restriction of HIV infectivity (Nature Microbiology, 2019, 4:8132)
Matty Helton, they/them, is a senior associate on the Prevention team. They support the implementation of community engagement technical assistance (TA) related to Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) plans within the Capacity Building Assistance Program (CBA), specifically contributing to virtual engagement efforts between the CDC and Phase 1 jurisdictions. Their portfolio also supports EHE programming, administering the CBA Tracking System (CTS), and developing resources at the intersection of HIV and aging. Prior to joining NASTAD, Matty worked as an independent research contractor with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, coordinating a national research study compiling an oral history of Long Term Survivors (LTS) of HIV/AIDS. Matty also previously worked at the U.S. Department of State in the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator & U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy, where they supported the implementation of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). They hold a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Global Public Health Advocacy from Virginia Commonwealth University.
