Scientific Leadership
David Margolis headshot
Dr. David Margolis, M.D.

David Margolis is the Director of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill HIV Cure Center, funded in part by a public-private partnership between UNC and GlaxoSmithKline and is the principal investigator for the NIH-sponsored Collaboratory of AIDS Researchers for Eradication (https://www.delaneycare.org). He has an MD from Tufts, and trained in medicine and infectious diseases at the New England Medical Center, and the NIAID. He and many collaborators have begun to develop drug and immunotherapy approaches to target persistent HIV, the tools needed to cure HIV infection.

He has treated people with HIV infection, and studied the molecular interactions between HIV and the host since the pandemic emerged during his medical training. His laboratory studies interactions between HIV and the host cell on the molecular level, with an eye to use these insights to improve the treatment of HIV infection, and the management of the HIV pandemic. Current work focuses on the molecular mechanisms that control the latent reservoir of HIV infection within resting T cells. The group has described selected members of the family of chromatin modifying enzymes, histone deacetylases, which act at the proviral promoter to enforce latency. The laboratory is attempting to test novel reagents that perturb latency in T cells obtained from HIV+ patients, followed by clinical experiments that attempt to deplete persistent HIV infection and develop the tools needed to cure HIV infection.

Brian Johns headshot
Brian A. Johns, Ph.D

Dr. Johns received a Ph.D. from Wayne State University in Detroit in 1997 under the direction of Professor Carl R. Johnson working on chemoenzymatic methodology to make bioactive aza-C-disaccharides. He continued his training as an NIH postdoctoral fellow at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville under the direction of Professor James A. Marshall where he completed a total synthesis of the polyketide natural product discodermolide using allenyl metal methodology to establish key stereotriad motifs. Dr. Johns joined GlaxoWellcome (now GSK) in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina in 1999 as part of the virology chemistry group where he continues today. Dr. Johns has authored or co-authored over 45 peer reviewed journal articles and is an inventor on over 50 patents and patent applications. He is a co-inventor of the antiretroviral drug Tivicay® (dolutegravir) and currently holds the title Vice President and Head of the HIV Discovery Performance Unit (HIV DPU) at GlaxoSmithKline.

Browne Lab Currently Accepting Students
Ed Browne
Ed P. Browne, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
epbrowne@email.unc.edu
Jackson Peterson
Jackson Peterspn
Graduate Research Assistant
jjp@live.unc.edu
Barcley Pace
Barcley Pace
Research Specialist
btpace@med.unc.edu
Goonetillike Lab
Nilu Goonetilleke
Nilu Goonetilleke, PhD
Assistant Professor
nilu_goonetilleke@med.unc.edu
Maria Abad Fernandez, PhD
Maria Abad Fernandez, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate
maria_abad@med.unc.edu
Damir Alzhanov, MD, PhD
Damir Alzhanov, MD, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate
dalzhano@email.unc.edu
Genevieve Clutton, PhD
Genevieve Clutton, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate
gen_clutton@med.unc.edu
Frances Potjewyd, PhD
Frances Potjewyd, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate
francesp@email.unc.edu
Shahryar Samir
Shahryar Samir
Research Technician
ssamir@ad.unc.edu
Yinyan Xu
Yinyan Xu
Research Specialist
yinyan_xu@med.unc.edu
Jiang Lab Currently Accepting Students
Guochun Jiang
Guochun Jiang, PhD
Assistant Professor
guochun_jiang@med.unc.edu
Yuyang Tang
Yuyang Tang
Research Assistant Professor
tangy@email.unc.edu
Dajiang Li
Dajiang Li
Postdoctoral Research Associate
dajiang.li@med.unc.edu
Lilly Wong
Lilly Wong
Research Technician
lilly_wong@med.unc.edu
Margolis Lab
David Margolis
David Margolis, MD
Professor of Medicine, Director
david_margolis@med.unc.edu
Nancie Archin
Nancie Archin
Research Assistant Professor
nancie_archine@med.unc.edu
Carolina Garrido
Carolina Garrido Pavon
Research Instructor
carolina_garrido@med.unc.edu
Cristina Ceriani
Cristina Ceriani
Postdoctoral Research Associate
cristina_ceriani@med.unc.edu
Anne-Marie Turner
Anne-Marie Turner
Postdoctoral Research Associate
annemarie_turner@med.unc.edu
Brigitte Allard
Brigitte Allard
Research Specialist
brigitte_allard@med.unc.edu
Matt Clohosey
Matt Clohosey
Research Technician
matthew_clohosey@med.unc.edu
Simon Ghofrani
Simon Ghofrani
Temp Research Technician
simon_ghofrani@med.unc.edu
Katherine James
Katherine James
Research Technician
ksholtis@live.unc.edu
Alana Keller
Alana Keller
Research Technician
alanalk@live.unc.edu
Jenn Kirchherr
Jennifer Leigh Kirchherr, PhD
Research Associate/Lab Manager
jenn_kirchherr@med.unc.edu
Shane Falcinelli
Shane Falcinelli
MD/PhD Student
shane_falcinelli@med.unc.edu
ViiV Healthcare
Richard Dunham
Richard Dunham, PhD
Scientific Leader
HIV DPU, ViiV
Adjunct Assistant Professor
HIV Cure Center
richard.m.dunham@viivhealthcare.com
Rob Ferris
Rob Ferris
Investigator
ViiV
Research Collaborator
HIV Cure Center
robert.g.ferris@viivhealthcare.com
Cristin Galardi
Cristin Galardi
Investigator
ViiV
Research Collaborator
HIV Cure Center
cristin.m.galardi@viivhealthcare.com
David Irlbeck
David Irlbeck
Investigator
ViiV
Research Collaborator
HIV Cure Center
david.m.irlbeck@viivhealthcare.com
Alicia Koblanksy
Alicia Koblanksy
Investigator
ViiV
Adjunct Assistant Professor
HIV Cure Center
alicia.x.koblansky@viivhealthcare.com
Heather Madsen
Heather Madsen, PhD
Head of Biology
ViiV Discovery RTP
Adjunct Assistant Professor
HIV Cure Center
Heather.A.Madsen@viivhealthcare.com
Hangfei Qi
Hangfei Qi
Investigator
ViiV
Adjunct Assistant Professor
HIV Cure Center
hangfei.x.qi@viivhealthcare.com
James Schawalder
James Schawalder
Investigator
ViiV
Research Collaborator
HIV Cure Center
james.x.schawalder@viivhealthcare.com
Other Faculty/Staff
Christopher Aquino
Christopher Aquino
Synthetic Organic Chemist
HIV Cure Center
christopher_aquino@med.unc.edu
mackenzie cottrell
Mackenzie Cottrell, MS, PharmD
Research Assistant Professor, Assistant Director
CFAR Clinical Pharmacology and Analytical Chemistry Core
mlcottre@email.unc.edu
Cindy Gay
Cindy Leigh Gay, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
School of Medicine
cynthia_gay@med.unc.edu
Lindsey James
Lindsey James
Research Associate Professor
Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy
akashuba@unc.edu
Angela Kashuba
Angela Kashuba, BScPhm, PharmD, DABCP, FCP
John A. and Deborah S. McNeill Jr. Distinguished Professor Chair
Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery
akashuba@unc.edu
Joann D Kuruc
Joann D Kuruc
Clinical Program Manager
Institute of Global Health and Infectious Disease
joann_kuruc@med.unc.edu
Robert McGinty
Robert McGinty, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry
Eshelman School of Pharmacy
samuelo@live.unc.edu
Old Well
Sam Olson
Graduate Research Assistant
Department of Chemistry
samuelo@live.unc.edu
Sam Raines
Sam Raines
Research Technician
HIV Cure Center
samuel_raines@med.unc.edu
Jenna Read
Jenna Read
Research Technician
HIV Cure Center
jenna_read@med.unc.edu
Old Well
Junghyun Lee Suh PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate
HIV Cure Center
jhlee229@email.unc.edu
Kevin Weeks
Kevin Weeks, PhD
Kenan Distinguished Professor
Department of Chemistry
weeks@unc.edu
Administrative Staff
Mary Napier
Mary Napier
Director of Operations
mary_napier@med.unc.edu
Nancie Hergert
Nancie Hergert
Cure Center Lab Manager
nancie_hergert@med.unc.edu
Gloria Camarena
Gloria Camarena
Business Services Coordinator
gloria_camarena@med.unc.edu
Old Well
Erin Stuelke
Applications Technician
erin_stuelke@med.unc.edu