Eldon Hard
Keywords: CCHFV, bispecific antibody development, Fc effector function enhancement, CHIKV
I'm currently working on developing bispecific antibodies for CCHFV, involving the GP38 and Gc subunits of the GPC on the virus surface to produce antibodies that are cross-strain neutralizing and protective. Additionally, I'm working on enhancing Fc effector functions of mAbs and bsAbs using the GASDALIE and EFTEA mutations in E2-B and E1 binding CHIKV antibodies.
My previous work focused on studying the effects of O-GlcNAcylation on the aggregation rate and propensity of alpha-synuclein, the protein that aggregates in Parkinson's Disease Patients using protein semi-synthetic strategies to chemically install O-GlcNAc at physiologically relevant positions along the protein.
I enjoy playing co-op video games with friends in my free time, doomscrolling, and trying different breweries. I also have a cat named Tigeress who's 3yrs old.
Previous Education
Ph.D. Chemistry (Matthew Pratt), University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 2025
B.S. Biochemistry and Neuroscience (John M. Franck), Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 2025
Selected Publications
Ampomah GB, Hard ER, Pratt MR. α-Synuclein Sequences from Long-Lived Animals Display Generally Diminished Aggregation Compared to Shorter-Lived Animals Including Humans. Chembiochem. 2025 Jul 18;26(14)
Gamage K, Wang B, Hard ER, Van T, Galesic A, Phillips GR, Pratt M, Lapidus LJ. O-GlcNAc Modification of α-Synuclein Can Alter Monomer Dynamics to Control Aggregation Kinetics. ACS Chem Neurosci. 2024 Aug 21;15(16):3044-3052.
Balana AT, Mahul-Mellier AL, Nguyen BA, Horvath M, Javed A, Hard ER, Jasiqi Y, Singh P, Afrin S, Pedretti R, Singh V, Lee VM, Luk KC, Saelices L, Lashuel HA, Pratt MR. O-GlcNAc forces an α-synuclein amyloid strain with notably diminished seeding and pathology. Nat Chem Biol. 2024 May;20(5):646-655.