Current Position:

Lecturer, Division of Biological Sciences

Office Hours:

Mondays and Wednesdays 10am-11am or by appointment

Field Of Study:

Human Anatomy and Physiology, Immunology, Autoimmune Diseases, Vaccine Development

Courses:

      Human Anatomy and Physiology (BIOL312/313), Human Anatomy and Physiology I&II for Health Professions (BIOH365/370), Teaching Anatomy and Physiology/Honors (BIOH 480), Human Anatomy and Physiology Tutor/Honors (BIOB491/BIOH485), Medical Physiology (BIOH460), Independent Research and/or Internships (BIOB 498)

Education:

Dartmouth Medical School   Lebanon, NH, 2000-2005  Ph.D.    Microbiology and Immunology (Lloyd Kasper, MD)

Immune modulation and the prevention of pathogen-driven TH1 mediated ileitis in mice as a model for the human inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s Disease.

Identified and characterized a subset of regulatory CD8+ intraepithelial lymphocytes induce by a novel triterpenoid

Identified mechanisms leading to the activation of TH1 effector cells from the lamina propria of the small intestine

       Identified novel plasmacytoid like dendritic cells in the Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT) of mice after oral infection  with Toxoplasma gondii                                 

University of Montana Missoula, MT (100% self-supported)  BS Microbiology, 1997-1999,  BA (honors) Psychology, 1993-1997

Teaching Experience:

Lecturer, University of Montana 2010-present:  Human Anatomy and Physiology (BIOL312/313), Human Anatomy and Physiology I&II for Health Professions (BIOH365/370), Teaching Anatomy and Physiology/Honors (BIOH 480), Human Anatomy and Physiology Tutor/Honors (BIOB491/BIOH485), Medical Physiology (BIOH460), Independent Research and/or Internships (BIOB 498)

Online Instructor, Major Online Universities beginning in 2009: Anatomy and Physiology (2009), Research Methods in Health Science, Bachelor of Science Capstone (2009), Pathophysiology (2009)

Instructor, Community College of Vermont, fall 2005-Summer 2006: Elements of Microbiology In-class and Online Hybrid (4 semester credit hours)

Laboratory Instructor/Lecture Teaching Assistant, Dartmouth College, 2002: Cell Biology Laboratory (2 sections)

Guest Lecturer, Colby Sawyer College, 2002: Microbiology

 

Affiliations:

Human Anatomy and Physiology Society 2001-present

American Association of Immunologists, 2009-present

Federation of Clinical and Immunology Societies (FOCIS), 2003-present

Society of Mucosal Immunology, 2001-2005

New York Academy of Sciences, 2003-2004

Professional Experience:

Immune Design Corporation, Seattle WA, 2009- June, 2010 Staff Scientist, Project Leader Clinical Immune Monitoring  

Design and develop IND-enabling studies for phase I clinical trials for proprietary vaccines at a startup biotech company.

Effectively interface with Clinical Operations, Molecular Biology, Pre-clinical Immunology, Formulations, Regulatory, Quality Control and Quality Assurance Sub teams to adhere to condensed timelines for first in-human vaccines

Perform Assay Transfer and Technology Transfer to Contract Research Organizations

 

 

GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals   Hamilton, MT, 2007-2009  Post-Doctoral Scientist, Immunology   (Melinda Hutton, DVM, Jory R. Baldridge, PhD)

Designed and conducted preclinical immunology studies to evaluate novel vaccine efficacy in mouse models of infectious disease

Characterized cytokine responses from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), monocyte derived dendritic cells, macrophages and other monocytic cell lines after stimulation with novel TLR agonists.

Determined unique cell signaling pattern in monocytic cells after stimulation with novel compounds using intracellular imaging and Western Blot analysis

Generated stable siRNA knock down monocytic cell lines for use in screening assays

 

Dartmouth Medical School   Lebanon, NH, 2005-2007   Post-Doctoral Associate, Immunotherapy Center at Dartmouth (Randolph Noelle, PhD and Lloyd Kasper, MD)

Evaluated the role of inflammatory T cells (CD4+ TH1 and TH17) cells in patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Performed immunogenicity studies to support a Phase I clinical trial using a humanized monoclonal anti-IL12p40 antibody in subjects with relapsing and remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Performed immunogenicity studies on peripheral blood from MS patients undergoing immunotherapy to determine MOA of approved therapies.

 

 

 

International Experience:

Institut Pasteur  Paris, France March 2004-July 2004                                                       

Visiting Research Scientist,  Department of Parasitology and Immunology (Dominique Buzoni-Gatel, PhD

Characterized the immune response of axenic mice after oral infection with T. gondii

Identified and characterized requirement of Toll Like Receptor in the induction of TH1 mediated inflammation after oral infection with the pathogen, T. gondii

Selected Publications:

PUBLICATIONS

1. Minns, L.A., DuPont, R., Channon J, Noelle RJ, Kasper, LH. In Preparation. Blocking IL-12p40 in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis does not affect peripheral TH1 or TH17 Cells. In preparation.

 

2. Mielcarz, D.W., Minns, L., Rachinel, N., Menard, L.C., Darche, S., Buzoni-Gatel, D., Kapser, L.H. Polysaccharide A from Bacteroides fragilis modulates pathogen driven ileitis by activating regulatory T cells. In Preparation.

 

3. Menard, L.C., L.A. Minns, S. Darche, D.W. Mielcarz, D.M. Foureau, D. Roos, F. Dzierszinski, L.H. Kasper, and D. Buzoni-Gatel. 2007. B cells amplify IFN-gamma production by T cells via a TNF-alpha-mediated mechanism. J Immunol 179:4857-4866.

 

4. Minns, L.A., L.C. Menard, D.M. Foureau, S. Darche, C. Ronet, D.W. Mielcarz, D. Buzoni-Gatel, and L.H. Kasper. 2006. TLR9 is required for the gut-associated lymphoid tissue response following oral infection of Toxoplasma gondii. J Immunol 176:7589-7597.

 

5. Rachinel, N., D. Buzoni-Gatel, C. Dutta, F.J. Mennechet, S. Luangsay, L.A. Minns, M.E. Grigg, S. Tomavo, J.C. Boothroyd, and L.H. Kasper. 2004. The induction of acute ileitis by a single microbial antigen of Toxoplasma gondii. J Immunol 173:2725-2735.

 

6. Minns, L.A., D. Buzoni-Gatel, K.H. Ely, N. Rachinel, S. Luangsay, and L.H. Kasper. 2004. A novel triterpenoid induces transforming growth factor beta production by intraepithelial lymphocytes to prevent ileitis. Gastroenterology 127:119-126.

 

7. Mennechet, F.J., L.H. Kasper, N. Rachinel, L.A. Minns, S. Luangsay, A. Vandewalle, and D. Buzoni-Gatel. 2004. Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes prevent pathogen-driven inflammation and regulate the Smad/T-bet pathway of lamina propria CD4+ T cells. Eur J Immunol 34:1059-1067.

 

8. Kasper, L., N. Courret, S. Darche, S. Luangsay, F. Mennechet, L. Minns, N. Rachinel, C. Ronet, and D. Buzoni-Gatel. 2004. Toxoplasma gondii and mucosal immunity. Int J Parasitol 34:401-409.

 

9. Luangsay, S., L.H. Kasper, N. Rachinel, L.A. Minns, F.J. Mennechet, A. Vandewalle, and D. Buzoni-Gatel. 2003. CCR5 mediates specific migration of Toxoplasma gondii-primed CD8 lymphocytes to inflammatory intestinal epithelial cells. Gastroenterology 125:491-500.

 

10. Channon, J.Y., K.A. Miselis, L.A. Minns, C. Dutta, and L.H. Kasper. 2002. Toxoplasma gondii induces granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor secretion by human fibroblasts: implications for neutrophil apoptosis. Infect Immun 70:6048-6057.