Nafees Ahmad

Interests

Teaching

I have been actively involved in teaching medical, graduate and undergraduate students for 22 years at the College of Medicine, University of Arizona. I taught Medical Microbiology and Immunology (Medical Virology) to second year medical students in the old traditional curriculum from 1994-2006. I served as as the Course Director of Medical Microbiology and Immunology Course. I was successful in revamping and running a solid Medical Microbiology course for the second year medical students. The success of this course was assessed by students’ performance at the step I USMLE exam, where the scores for Microbiology and Immunology were above national average and ranked very high in the College. In 2006, our College decided to move from the classical courses to block/organ based education system. I was part of the integration and reward teams and was appointed the designer and later Block Director of the Immunity and Infection block. Currently, I serve as the Director of the Immunity and Infection block that is offered to 2nd year medical students in the fall semester. I also teach the Medical Virology section of the block. In addition, I teach Clinical Reasoning Course (Case-based instruction) in several other blocks, including Musculoskeletal System, Cardiovascular, Pulmonary and Renal Systems, Digestive, Metabolism and Hormones. I was recognized by the medical students and faculty for my teaching and received teaching awards in 1999, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Finally in 2013, I was given the Life Time Achievement Educator of the Year Award for Medical Education. I have served as a member of the College of Medicine Curriculum committee for five years, which involved policy-making and implementations of LCME guidelines to the medical curriculum. I also serve on various education committees at the College and Departmental levels. In addition to medical education, I am also involved in graduate and undergraduate education by teaching Molecular Virology, Medical Microbiology and Immunology and HIV/AIDS virology and immunology throughout the campus. I have trained more than a dozen Ph.D. students, postdoctoral fellows and medical students for research. I have mentored and supervised more than 40 undergraduate students doing research in my lab, most of them have gone to medical and graduate schools. I have co-authored a Medical Microbiology textbook “Sherris Medical Microbiology, 5th Edition (2010) and 6th Edition (2014) (Editor: Ryan, K and Ray, C.G) McGraw Hill Publication. In 2016, our college decided to shorten the 2-year basic science medical curriculum to an 18-month basic science curriculum. I was part of the Pre-Clinical Subcommittee that developed an 18-month curriculum starting 2017-2018 academic year. We are in the process of developing new innovative methods of teaching.

Research

1. Viral, Immunological and Clinical Factors in HIV-1 Aging Patients: We are investigating the role of HIV infection in influencing the aging process of the immune system (immunosenescence) in older patients. We are elucidating the molecular properties of HIV in older infected patients whose viral load is suppressed by anti-retroviral drugs. These studies may provide new information to develop strategies for prevention and treatment of HIV infection in older infected patients, including improving the aging of the immune system in older population. 2. Mechanisms of HIV-1 replication in neonatal (immatur cord blood) and adult (mature) hosts T lymphocytes (naive and memory) and monocytes/macrophages, Cellular gene expression profile of cord and adult blood mononuclear cells, T-lymphocytes, macrophages by Microarray analysis, Use of siRNA/shRNA to interfere with cellular factor that influence HIV replication, Interaction of cellular factors from cord and adult cells with HIV LTR, HIV-1 infection and T-cell development, 3. Molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of pediatric AIDS, Molecular and biological properties of HIV-1 in infected infants over time associated with pathogenesis and disease progression, Clinical parameters, including CD4 counts and viral load in HIV-1 infected infants during the course of infection and disease progression 4. Molecular mechanisms of HIV-1 mother-infant transmission, Genotypic and phenotypic characterization, cell tropism, viral determinants associated with vertical transmission. 5. Biological activity of anti-HIV agents, Effects of antivirals on HIV-1 replication in primary target cells. 6. Molecular biology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Functional role of HIV-1 regulatory proteins in viral replication.

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Books

• Ahmad, N. (2018). Arthropod-Borne and Other Zoonotic Viruses. Sherris Medical Microbiology, 7h Edition, McGraw-Hill.
• Ahmad, N. (2018). Enteroviruses. Sherris Medical Microbiology, 7h Edition, McGraw-Hill.
• Ahmad, N. (2018). Hepatitis Viruses. Sherris Medical Microbiology, 7h Edition, McGraw-Hill.
• Ahmad, N. (2018). Papilloma and Polyoma Viruses. Sherris Medical Microbiology, 7h Edition, McGraw-Hill.
• Ahmad, N. (2018). Pathogenesis of Viral Infection. Sherris Medical Microbiology, 7h Edition, McGraw-Hill.
• Ahmad, N. (2018). Persistent Viral Infections of the Central Nervous System. Sherris Medical Microbiology, 7h Edition, McGraw-Hill.
• Ahmad, N. (2018). Poxviruses. Sherris Medical Microbiology, 7h Edition, McGraw-Hill.
• Ahmad, N. (2018). Rabies. Sherris Medical Microbiology, 7h Edition, McGraw-Hill.
• Ahmad, N. (2018). Respiratory Viruses. Sherris Medical Microbiology, 7h Edition, McGraw-Hill.
• Ahmad, N. (2018). Retroviruses: Human T-Lymphotropic Virus, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Sherris Medical Microbiology, 7h Edition, McGraw-Hill.
• Ahmad, N. (2018). Viruses - Basic Concepts. Sherris Medical Microbiology, 7h Edition, McGraw-Hill.
• Ahmad, N. (2018). Viruses of Diarrhea. Sherris Medical Microbiology, 7h Edition, McGraw-Hill.
• Ahmad, N. (2018). Viruses of Mumps, Measles, Rubella and Other Childhood Exanthems. Sherris Medical Microbiology, 7h Edition, McGraw-Hill.

Chapters

• Ahmad, N. (2022). Arthropod-Borne and Other Zoonotic Viruses. In Sherris & Ryan's Medical Microbiology, 8th Edition(pp 285-308). USA: McGraw Hill Publication.
• Ahmad, N. (2022). Enteroviruses. In Sherris & Ryan's Medical Microbiology, 8th Edition(pp 207 - 220). USA: McGraw Hill Publication.
• Ahmad, N. (2022). Hepatitis Viruses. In Sherris & Ryan's Medical Microbiology, 8th Edition(pp 221-246). USA: McGraw Hill Publication.
• Ahmad, N. (2022). Herpes Viruses. In Sherris & Ryan's Medical Microbiology, 8th Edition(pp 247-274). USA: McGraw Hill Publication.
• Ahmad, N. (2022). Human Retroviruses: HTLV, HIV and AIDS. In Sherris & Ryan's Medical Microbiology, 8th Edition(pp 317-344). USA: McGraw Hill Publication.
• Ahmad, N. (2022). Papilloma and Polyoma Viruses. In Sherris & Ryan's Medical Microbiology, 8th Edition(pp 345-358). USA: McGraw Hill Publication.
• Ahmad, N. (2022). Pathogenesis of Viral Infections. In Sherris & Ryan's Medical Microbiology, 8th Edition(pp 115 - 134). USA: McGraw Hill Publication.
• Ahmad, N. (2022). Persistent Viral Infection of the Central Nervous System. In Sherris & Ryan's Medical Microbiology, 8th Edition(pp 359-368). USA: McGraw Hill Publication.
• Ahmad, N. (2022). Poxviruses. In Sherris & Ryan's Medical Microbiology, 8th Edition(pp 197 - 206). USA: McGraw Hill Publication.
• Ahmad, N. (2022). Rabies. In Sherris & Ryan's Medical Microbiology, 8th Edition(pp 309-316). USA: McGraw Hill Publication.
• Ahmad, N. (2022). Respiratoty Viruses. In Sherris & Ryan's Medical Microbiology, 8th Edition(pp 145 - 176). USA: McGraw Hill Publication.
• Ahmad, N. (2022). Viruses of Diarrhea. In Sherris & Ryan's Medical Microbiology, 8th Edition(pp 275-284). USA: McGraw Hill Publication.
• Ahmad, N. (2022). Viruses of Mumps, Measles, Rubella and Other Childhood Exenthems. In Sherris & Ryan's Medical Microbiology, 8th Edition. USA: McGraw Hill Publication.
• Ahmad, N. (2022). Viruses: Basic Concepts. In Sherris & Ryan's Medical Microbiology, 8th Edition(pp 83 - 114). USA: McGraw Hill Publication.

Journals/Publications

• Klotz, S. A., Love, M., Najafi, B., Behrens-Bardley, N., & Ahmad, N. (2022). Phenotypic fraility in people living with HIV is not correlated with age or immunosenescence. International Journal of STD & AIDS, 0(0), 1-7. doi:10.1177/09564624221091455
• Love, M., Klotz, S., & Ahmad, N. (2022). Genetic analysis of HIV-1 vpr sequences from HIV-infected patients on long-term antiretroviral therapy. Current HIV Research, 20(4), 309-320. doi:10.2174/1570162X20666220705124341
• Behrens, N., Love, M., Bandlamuri, M., Bernhardt, D., Wertheimer, A., Klotz, S., & Ahmad, N. (2021). Characterization of HIV-1 Envelope V3 Region Sequences from Virologically Controlled HIV-Infected Older Patients on Long Term Antiretroviral Therapy. AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, 37(3), 233 - 245. doi:https://doi.org/10.1089/aid.2020.0139
• Behrens, N. E., Love, M., Wertheimer, A., Klotz, S. A., & Ahmad, N. (2020). Evaluation of HIV-Specific T Cell Responses in Virologically Controlled HIV-Infected Aging Patients on Long-term Antiretroviral Therapy. PLOS One. doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236320
• Behrens-Bradley, N., Smith, S., Beaty, N., Love, M., Ahmad, N., & Klotz, S. (2020). Kissing bugs harboring Trypanosoma cruzi, frequently bite residents of the US Southwest but do not cause Chagas disease. The American Journal of Medicine, 133(1), 108-114. doi:doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.06.016
• Beatty, N., Behrens, N., Love, M., McCants, F., Smith, S., Schmidt, J., Hammer, S., Dorn, P., Ahmad, N., & Klotz, S. (2019). Rapid detection of human blood in triatomines (kissing bugs) utilizing a lateral flow immunochromatographic assay – A pilot study.. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz.
• Klotz, S. A., Bradley, N., Smith, S., & Ahmad, N. (2019). HIV Infection-Associated Frailty: The Solution for Now is Antiretroviral Drugs A Perspective. Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (JIAPAC). doi:10.1177/2325958219831045
• Behrens, N. E., Wertheimer, A., Klotz, S. A., & Ahmad, N. (2018). Reduction in terminally differentiated T cells in virologically controlled HIV-infected aging patients on long-term antiretroviral therapy. PLOS One, 13(6).
• Ahmad, N. (2017). Features of maternal HIV associated with lack of vertical transmission. The Open Virology Journal, 11, 8-14. doi:􀀧􀀲􀀬􀀝􀀃􀀔􀀓􀀑􀀕􀀔􀀚􀀗􀀒􀀔􀀛􀀚􀀗􀀖􀀘􀀚􀀜􀀓􀀔􀀚􀀔􀀓􀀓􀀔􀀔􀀓􀀓􀀛
• Ahmad, N. (2017). HIV infection and bone abnormalities. The Open Orthopaedics Journal, 11, 777-784. doi:10.2174/18743250001711010777
• Ahmad, N. (2015). Influence of HIV variability on transmission and pathogenesis. J Virology and Antiviral Research, 4(1). doi:doi:10.4172/2324-8955.1000136
• Badowski, M., Shultz, C. L., Eason, Y., Ahmad, N., & Harris, D. T. (2014). The influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on immune system aging. Immunobiology, 219(6), 482-5.
  More info

  Sex and age-matched wild-type and TCR transgenic mice were infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV) at 6 months of age and followed for 12 additional months to examine aging of the immune system. It was found that viral infection of C57Bl/6 mice resulted in accelerated aging of the immune system as shown by a loss of CD8(+)28(+) cells and an accumulation of KLRG1(+) T cells. CMV infection of OT-1 transgenic mice had no influence on immune aging of these mice which nonetheless demonstrated an accumulation of CD8(+)28(-) and KLRG1(+) T cells with time. CD4(+) T cells were unaffected in either strain of mice. Thus, immunological aging was found to be due to both cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic factors. Persistent viral infections may accelerate immunological aging but consideration must be given to individual variation in the aging process.
• Bashyal, B. P., Wellensiek, B. P., Ramakrishnan, R., Faeth, S. H., Ahmad, N., & Gunatilaka, A. A. (2014). Altertoxins with potent anti-HIV activity from Alternaria tenuissima QUE1Se, a fungal endophyte of Quercus emoryi. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, 22(21), 6112-6.
  More info

  Screening of a small library of natural product extracts derived from endophytic fungi of the Sonoran desert plants in a cell-based anti-HIV assay involving T-cells infected with the HIV-1 virus identified the EtOAc extract of a fermentation broth of Alternaria tenuissima QUE1Se inhabiting the stem tissue of Quercus emoryi as a promising candidate for further investigation. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of this extract led to the isolation and identification of two new metabolites, altertoxins V (1) and VI (2) together with the known compounds, altertoxins I (3), II (4), and III (5). The structures of 1 and 2 were determined by detailed spectroscopic analysis and those of 3-5 were established by comparison with reported data. When tested in our cell-based assay at concentrations insignificantly toxic to T-cells, altertoxins V (1), I (3), II (4), and III (5) completely inhibited replication of the HIV-1 virus at concentrations of 0.50, 2.20, 0.30, and 1.50 μM, respectively. Our findings suggest that the epoxyperylene structural scaffold in altertoxins may be manipulated to produce potent anti-HIV therapeutics.
• Wellensiek, B. P., Ramakrishnan, R., Bashyal, B. P., Eason, Y., Gunatilaka, A. A., & Ahmad, N. (2013). Inhibition of HIV-1 Replication by Secondary Metabolites From Endophytic Fungi of Desert Plants. The open virology journal, 7, 72-80.
  More info

  Most antiretroviral drugs currently in use to treat an HIV-1 infection are chemically synthesized and lead to the development of viral resistance, as well as cause severe toxicities. However, a largely unexplored source for HIV-1 drug discovery is endophytic fungi that live in a symbiotic relationship with plants. These fungi produce biologically active secondary metabolites, which are natural products that are beneficial to the host. We prepared several hundred extracts from endophytic fungi of desert plants and evaluated the inhibitory effects on HIV-1 replication of those extracts that showed less than 30% cytotoxicity in T-lymphocytes. Those extracts that inhibited viral replication were fractionated in order to isolate the compounds responsible for activity. Multiple rounds of fractionation and antiviral evaluation lead to the identification of four compounds, which almost completely impede HIV-1 replication. These studies demonstrate that metabolites from endophytic fungi of desert plants can serve as a viable source for identifying potent inhibitors of HIV-1 replication.

Presentations

• Wertheimer, A., Klotz, S., Ahmad, N., & Behrens, N. (2019, May). Evaluation of HIV-Specific T-Cell Responses in HIV-Infected Aging Patients with Controlled Viremia on Long-term Antiretroviral Therapy. Annual meeting of American Association of Immunologists held in San Diego, CA. San Diego, CA: American Association of Immunologists.
  More info

  J Immunol May 1, 2019, 202 (1 Supplement) 140.22
• Ahmad, N. (2018, January). Seminar Presentation. Arizona State University College of Health Solutions. Tempe, Arizona.
• Ahmad, N. (2018, March). Seminar Presentation. University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. Maine.
• Ahmad, N., Beatty, N., Bradley, N., Love, M., Smith, S., & Klotz, S. (2018, October 4). Southern Arizona Town: Homes colonized by Kissing Bugs. Is Chagas Disease Being Transmitted?. ID week 2018, Infectious Diseases Society of America. San Francisco, CA: Infectious Diseases Society of America.
• Ahmad, N. (2016, February/2016). Pathogenesis of Ebola Virus Infection. Workshop on Development for Ebola Virus and Other Emerging Diseases. Tucson, AZ.
  More info

  Workshop on Development for Ebola Virus and Other Emerging Diseases Invited talk on Pathogenesis of Ebola Virus Infection at the "Workshop on Development for Ebola Virus and Other Emerging Diseases" held in Tucson, AZ from February 10-13, 2016.

Poster Presentations

• Kummet, N., & Ahmad, N. (2023, March). Genetic Characterization of HIV-1 tat Gene from Virologically Controlled HIV-infected Older Patients on Long-term Antiretroviral Therapy. 18th Annual Frontiers in Immunobiology and Immunopathogenesis Symposium. University of Arizona: Immunobiology.
• Love, M., Samora, L., Klotz, S., & Ahmad, N. (2021, March). Characterization of HIV-1 env and vpr genes from HIV-Infected older patients with controlled viremia on antiretroviral therapy. Immunobiology & Immunopathogenesis Symposium, March 3, 2021. MRB, University of Arizona (via Zoom): Immunobiology.
• Beatty, N., Bradley, N., Love, M., Smith, S., Dorn, P., Schmidt, J., Ahmad, N., & Klotz, S. (2018, October 31). Carriage Rates of Trypanosoma cruzi among Kissing Bugs (Triatoma spp.) in Southern Arizona.. American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting. New Orleans, LA: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
• Behrens, N. E., Wertheimer, A., Klotz, S. A., & Ahmad, N. (2018, March 9). Recovery of HIV-mediated immune aging/exhaustion T cells in virologically controlled HIV-infected aging patients on antiretroviral therapy.. 12th Immunobiology and Pathogenesis Symposium. University of Arizona, Tucson: Department of Immunobiology.
  More info

  Nicole won the Best Poster Award
• Behrens, N. E., Werthemier, A., Klotz, S. A., & Ahmad, N. (2018, May 4-8). Reduction in terminally differentiated T cells in virologically controlled HIV aging patients on long-term Antiretroviral Therapy.. Annual meeting of American Association of Immunologists. Austin, TX: American Association of Immunologists.
• Ahmad, N. (2017, March 3, 2017). Viral and immunological features associated with aging in HIV infected older patients.. Presented at the 12th Immunobiology and Pathogenesis Symposium. University of Arizona: Department of Immunobiology.
• Ahmad, N. (2017, March 9, 2017). Viral and immunological features associated with aging in HIV infected older patients.. Annual ABRC conference. Phoenix: Arizona Biomedical Reserach Commission.
• Ahmad, N. (2016, March/2016). HIV and Aging: Viral and Immunological Features Associated with Aging in HIV-Infected Older Patients. Immunobiology and Immunopathogenesis Symposium. Tucson, AZ.
  More info

  Immunobiology and Immunopathogenesis Symposium Poster presentation on "HIV and Aging: Viral and Immunological Features Associated with Aging in HIV-Infected Older Patients" by Nicole Behrens, Michael Grisham, Anne Wertheimer, Stephen Klotz*, Janko Nikolich-Zugich and Nafees Ahmad at the Immunobiology and Immunopathogenesis Sympsoium held on March 4, 2016.
• Behrens, N., Grisham, M., Wertheimer, A., Klotz, S., Nikolich-Zugich, J., & Ahmad, N. (2016, February/2016). HIV and Aging: Viral and Immunological Features Associated with Aging in HIV-Infected Older Patients. Annual Arizona Biomedical Research Commission Conference. Phoenix, AZ.