Larner College of Medicine

Menelaos "Mel" Symeonides

Assistant Professor (Research Track), Microbiology and Molecular Genetics

PRONOUNS he/him

menelaos.symeonides@med.uvm.edu
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menelaos.symeonides@med.uvm.edu
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Pronouns he/him
Alma mater(s)
  • Ph.D., Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Vermont
Affiliated Department(s)

Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Translational Global Infection Diseases (TGIR)
Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE)

Areas of expertise

virology, cell biology, microscopy, flow cytometry, molecular cloning, 3D cell culture, primary cell culture.

BIO

Mel Symeonides is an Assistant Professor (Research Track) in the Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics at UVM. After completing his PhD and postdoctoral research at UVM, Mel worked as a Faculty Scientist in MMG (2021-2024). He was hired as an Assistant Professor in MMG and the TGIR COBRE in April 2024. Mel is interested in understanding the biology and behavior of the virus-infected cell, with a long-term goal of finding new ways to cure chronic viral infections. His primary interest lies in HIV-1, which is currently incurable (without highly invasive and risky irradiation and bone marrow transplant). In parallel, Mel studies immune responses to viral infection, both innate (e.g. direct killing of HIV-1-infected T cells by Natural Killer cells) and adaptive (e.g. rotavirus-specific cytotoxic T cell responses in infants post-infection or vaccination). His favorite research methods are live cell fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry.

Courses

  • MMG2060 - Introduction to Biomedical Research Methods

Publications

NIH Publications

Awards and Achievements

  • PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Vermont, 2015 (Advisor: Dr. Markus Thali)  

  • Postdoctoral research (2016-2021; PI: Dr. Markus Thali, UVM) 

  • Postdoctoral research: PIs – Dr. Markus Thali (2016-2021) and Dr. Benjamin Lee (2020-2021)  

  • Faculty Scientist, UVM MMG (2021-2024)  

  • Assistant Professor and TGIR COBRE Junior Faculty since April 2024

Bio

Mel Symeonides is an Assistant Professor (Research Track) in the Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics at UVM. After completing his PhD and postdoctoral research at UVM, Mel worked as a Faculty Scientist in MMG (2021-2024). He was hired as an Assistant Professor in MMG and the TGIR COBRE in April 2024. Mel is interested in understanding the biology and behavior of the virus-infected cell, with a long-term goal of finding new ways to cure chronic viral infections. His primary interest lies in HIV-1, which is currently incurable (without highly invasive and risky irradiation and bone marrow transplant). In parallel, Mel studies immune responses to viral infection, both innate (e.g. direct killing of HIV-1-infected T cells by Natural Killer cells) and adaptive (e.g. rotavirus-specific cytotoxic T cell responses in infants post-infection or vaccination). His favorite research methods are live cell fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry.

Courses

  • MMG2060 - Introduction to Biomedical Research Methods

Publications

NIH Publications

Awards and Achievements

  • PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Vermont, 2015 (Advisor: Dr. Markus Thali)  

  • Postdoctoral research (2016-2021; PI: Dr. Markus Thali, UVM) 

  • Postdoctoral research: PIs – Dr. Markus Thali (2016-2021) and Dr. Benjamin Lee (2020-2021)  

  • Faculty Scientist, UVM MMG (2021-2024)  

  • Assistant Professor and TGIR COBRE Junior Faculty since April 2024

Select Publications

  • Tafrate, S. J., Littell, B., Girard, J. P., Mynar, E. R., Carr, M. K., Thali, M. & Symeonides, M. An Aurora Kinase-Dependent Role for Vif in Regulating HIV-1-Induced Cell-Cell Fusion. bioRxiv, 2026.2006.2015.732372 (2026) 
  • Girard, J. P., Whitaker, E. E., Frandina, C., Veljkovic, P., Carr, M. K., Symeonides, M. & Thali, M. HIV-1-induced small T cell syncytia: susceptibility to direct NK cell killing. bioRxiv, 2026.2006.2014.732158 (2026) 
  • Emily R. Mynar, Matthew W. Kinahan, Jonah Harris et al. Migrate3D: Software for simplified post-tracking analysis of 2D and 3D object movement data, 23 June 2026, PREPRINT (Version 3) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2451513/v3] 
  • Whitaker EE, Matheson NJ, Perlee S, Munson PB, Symeonides M, Thali M. EWI-2 Inhibits Cell-Cell Fusion at the HIV-1 Virological Presynapse. Viruses. 2019 Nov 20;11(12). doi: 10.3390/v11121082. PubMed PMID: 31757023; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6950393. 
  • Symeonides M, Murooka TT, Bellfy LN, Roy NH, Mempel TR, Thali M. HIV-1-Induced Small T Cell Syncytia Can Transfer Virus Particles to Target Cells through Transient Contacts. Viruses. 2015 Dec 12;7(12):6590-603. doi: 10.3390/v7122959. PubMed PMID: 26703714; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4690882.

Our Lab Team

Amelia Worth, MMG Senior (temporary employee)
Christen Frandina, Microbiology Junior (Honors College)
Sophia Witkin, Microbiology Junior (Honors College)
Emelia Wacker, Biochemistry First Year
Ky Smith, Molecular Genetics First Year (Honors College