Saikat Boliar PhD

Saikat Boliar

Saikat Boliar
PhD

Assistant Professor

Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences


Specialty/Research Focus

Infectious Disease; Molecular and Cellular Biology; Retroviruses; RNA; Translational Research; Viral Pathogenesis; Virology

Contact Information
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Room 5258
955 Main Street
Buffalo, New York 14203
Phone: 716-829-3364
sboliar@buffalo.edu



Professional Summary:

The research focus of my laboratory is understanding the biology of HIV-1 virus-host interplays that enable establishment of viral latency and persistence during anti-retroviral therapy. Currently, I have two major research projects in the lab.

1. HIV-1 reservoirs: virologic and immunologic implications.

A major challenge in HIV-1 research is the inability to eliminate tissue-resident reservoir cells that continue to harbor the virus during treatment. My research focuses on characterization of one such HIV-1 reservoir, lung alveolar macrophages (AMs). For this study, AMs from patients living with HIV-1 are obtained through an international collaboration with scientists at the Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Clinical Research Program at Blantyre, Malawi. Our research has revealed that HIV-1 remains transcriptionally active in AMs even after long-term therapy. This finding has challenged the traditional perception of viral latency as a transcriptionally-silent state. We are further investigating the molecular mechanisms of this "active" viral persistence in HIV-1 infected lung AMs by in-depth analysis of the viral genomic and transcriptomic landscapes in untreated and anti-retroviral treated individuals as well as their functional impacts on lung immunity. Our research aims to provide fundamental scientific knowledge about this new layer of complexity in HIV-1 persistence and devise tailored strategies to eliminate these myeloid reservoir cells.

2. Long non-coding RNAs in HIV-1 infection: discovery, functional characterization and clinical relevance.

Advances in next-generation sequencing techniques have unveiled long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as the largest class of RNAs that are transcribed from the human genome. Although lncRNAs do not code for proteins; they have shown remarkable versatility in their functions with roles in almost every aspect of the biological processes. A second area of my research is focused on elucidating the roles of lncRNAs as novel host-dependency factors in HIV-1 replication and/or latency. The newly identified lncRNAs are further interrogated for their molecular mechanisms of function as well as their relevance as potential targets of host-directed therapy against HIV-1.

We employ cutting-edge molecular virology, immunology and genomics techniques in both ex vivo clinical samples and in vitro systems of HIV-1 infection for our studies. Our scientific motivation and long-term goals are to identify the cellular and viral vulnerabilities in latent or persistently infected cells that can be exploited for the development of new therapeutic interventions towards a cure for HIV-1.

Education and Training:

  • PhD, Virology, University of Kentucky (2009)
  • BVSc&AH (DVM), Veterinary Medicine, WBUAFS (2004)

Employment:

  • Assistant Professor, Microbiology & Immunology, University at Buffalo (2024-present)
  • Assistant Research Professor, Microbiology & Immunology, Cornell University (2022–2024)
  • Senior Research Associate, Microbiology & Immunology, Cornell University (2020–2022)
  • Research Associate, Microbiology & Immunology, Cornell University (2015–2019)
  • Scientist, THSTI-IAVI HIV Vaccine Design Program, THSTI (2012–2015)
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University (2009–2012)

Awards and Honors:

  • NIH Early Career Reviewer (ECR) Program (2023)
  • HIV Research for Prevention Conference, Full Scholarship (2014)
  • AIDS Vaccine Conference, Registration Scholarship (2010)
  • American Society for Virology annual meeting, Travel Scholarship (2008)
  • Geoffrey C. Hughes Fellowship, University of Kentucky (2007)
  • Induction to Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society (2006)
  • Graduate School Academic Year Fellowship, University of Kentucky (2005)

Research Expertise:

  • Host-directed therapeutic strategies for HIV-1
  • Molecular virology and viral pathogenesis: HIV-1 replication and latency, HIV-1 persistence in tissue-resident alveolar macrophages
  • RNA biology: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as host-dependency factors in HIV-1 infection
  • Viral immunopathogenesis: HIV-1 infection and innate immunity

Research Centers:

  • Witebsky Center for Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology

UB 2020 Strategic Strengths:

  • Health and Wellness Across the Lifespan
  • Molecular Recognition in Biological Systems and Bioinformatics

Grants and Sponsored Research:

  • May 2024–March 2029
    Virologic and immunologic impacts of active viral persistence in lung AMs of HIV-1-infected, cART-suppressed individuals
    NIAID
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $2,915,905
  • March 2021–February 2024
    Mechanisms underlying lncRNA SAF-mediated survival and persistence of HIV-1 infected macrophages
    NIAID
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $431,750
  • March 2022–February 2023
    BSL3 Flow Sorter for Human Pathogens of Global Significance
    NIH OD
    Role: Co-Investigator
    $362,340
  • April 2020–April 2021
    Study of HIV-1 induced lncRNAs for roles in macrophage immune functions and viral persistence
    Cornell Center for Immunology
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $15,000

Journal Articles:

See all (11 more)

Service Activities:

  • mBio; Invited Editor (2024)
  • Mills Award for Graduate Research selection committee, Dept. of M&I, Cornell Univ.; Committee member (2024)
  • Special Emphasis Review Panel (ZAI1-JBS-A-J1), NIH; Ad hoc Reviewer (2023)
  • Viral Pathogenesis and Immunity (VPI) study section, NIH; Ad hoc Reviewer (2023)
  • Department Strategic Planning committee, Dept. of M&I, Cornell Univ.; Committee member (2023)
  • Frontiers in Immunology, Research Topic: “Long non-coding RNAs in viral infections and immunity”; Topic Editor (2021–2022)
  • AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, Frontiers in Immunology, Molecular Therapy-Nucleic Acids, Microorganisms, Nature Protocols, Non-coding RNA, Nucleus, PLOS ONE, Vaccines, Viruses; Ad hoc peer-reviewer (2011–present)
  • AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses; Editorial Board member (2011–present)

School News:

In the Media:


Clinical Specialties:

Clinical Offices:

Insurance Accepted:



Contact Information

Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Room 5258
955 Main Street
Buffalo, New York 14203
Phone: 716-829-3364
sboliar@buffalo.edu