BIOGRAPHY
Matthew Parsons, Ph.D., is the Head of the Non-Human Primate Laboratory within the Department of Retrovirology at the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS) in Bangkok, Thailand. Dr. Parsons received his Ph.D. in Experimental Medicine from McGill University, where he studied the role of natural killer (NK) cells in protecting against HIV infection and slowing disease progression. Following the completion of his Ph.D., Dr. Parsons conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Melbourne and was an Assistant Professor at the Emory Primate Research Center at Emory University. Since the completion of his Ph.D., he:
- Studied the role of NK cell education in regulating the anti-HIV responses of NK cells.
- Developed a non-human primate model of exposure to cell-associated HIV.
- Assessed the Fc-dependent functional characteristics required for neutralizing antibodies to prevent infection following exposure to cell-associated virus.
- Determined how immunomodulation by semen impacts anti-HIV immune responses.
As Head of the AFRIMS Department of Retrovirology’s Non-Human Primate Laboratory, Dr. Parsons works closely with the AFRIMS Department of Veterinary Medicine to develop and utilize non-human primate models of HIV exposure and infection. The Non-Human Primate Laboratory actively assesses HIV cure and vaccination strategies to facilitate the clinical development of various biomedical products.