Faculty and Staff
Laura Bover, Ph.D., Director
Dr. Bover's previous experience of more than 25 years in tumor immunology and immunotherapy was acquired in Argentina, at one of the country's premier research institutes (Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas, Fundacion Leloir, formerly Fundacion Campomar) and foremost private oncology hospital (Instituto Alexander Fleming). She received first-hand training in the generation of monoclonal antibodies from Dr. Cesar Milstein, Nobel Prize winner in Medicine for the discovery of hybridoma technology and Advisor of the Fundacion Campomar. In particular, two of the antibodies generated there (FC-2.15 anti Lewis X and FC-5.01 anti CD63) were licensed to private companies, patented in the U.S. and used in clinical protocols in Argentina.
As part of the Leloir Foundation and the Instituto Alexander Fleming, in Argentina, she established the pre-clinical and clinical protocols for using developed monoclonal antibodies and anti-human melanoma vaccines. She went on to collaborate with physicians, with the goal of developing immune therapies.
Bover is Assistant Professor in the Immunology Department and divides her time working in the laboratory directed by Department Chair Dr. Yong-Jun Liu. Since June 2007, she has overseen the daily operations of the Core and has been assisting the users of the facility with her expertise.
Long Vien, Laboratory Manager
Long Vien has more than 6 years of experience in laboratory work. He previously developed monoclonal antibodies at Tanox, a biopharmaceutical company based in Houston, Texas. While there, he participated in the generation of the anti-IgE program that produced prototype antibody candidates used in clinical trials of allergic pathologies.
Currently, Vien manages the daily operations of the Core and generates antibodies for MD Anderson users, some of them designed for use in anti-human tumor clinical trials. The Core adds to his expertise in improving and developing new technologies in antibody production.
Stephanie Elizondo, Research Assistant II
A recent graduate from Texas A&M University-Kingsville with a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences, Elizondo joined the Facility in January 2009. Previously, she worked in MD Anderson's Ovarian and Breast Cancer centers, performing molecular and cellular biology protocols under the direction of Dr. Robert C. Bast. She is currently working in monoclonal antibodies development.
Janis Johnson, Research Technician III
Janis previously worked in the Darwin Transgenic Mouse Core at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, where she developed high experience performing Microinjections and Embryonic Stem Cell cultures. She joined the Facility in August 2008. She is currently performing mice immunization, antibody purification with Protein A, Protein G, and affinity purification with FPLC (Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography).