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Studies of virus transmission and pathogenesis help to define new approaches to HIV treatment and prevention. Our efforts employ laboratory, animal models, and clinical research to increase our basic understanding of HIV AIDS and to apply this knowledge for better public health. Three areas of research emphasis are: biology and biochemistry of the HIV Tat protein, the role of gamma delta T cells in viral diseases and cancer, and the development of vaccines to prevent mother to child HIV transmission during breast feeding.
The Tat protein is a required viral accessory protein. Tat affects viral replication and disease both from within and outside of cells, and may be an important addition to vaccines against HIV. We are defining the patterns and consequences of antibody binding to Tat, and designing new vaccines to improve protective immunity.
Secondly, gamma delta T cells are a minor subset in peripheral blood but are critical for microbial immunity and tumor surveillance. Our molecular studies defined the gamma delta T cell receptor repertoire and the structures required for pathogen responses. We are studying the changes in gamma delta T cells during HIV disease and exploring new therapeutic approaches for activating this subset for clinical benefit. Adoptive transfer methodologies are being used to evaluate the role for gamma delta T cells in AIDS-related and other types of human malignancies.
Lastly, my laboratory is committed to the goal of preventing mother to child transmission of HIV. Infant infection has been virtually eliminated in the developed world, but this required considerable health care resources and abstinence from breastfeeding. Alternatively, preventive vaccines may be valuable in newborns to protect against breast milk HIV transmission. Our laboratory is part of a collaborative effort to develop and implement preventive vaccines that will be integrated with conventional antiretroviral drug treatment to reduce infant infection rates.
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