IN VITRO CULTURE MODEL FOR HEPATITIS C VIRUS GROWTH

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DESCRIPTION: The candidate obtained his M.D. degree from the Universidad Central del Este (location not specified), followed by a Pediatric internship and residency at the Cook County Hospital in Chicago, and then a Pediatric Gastroenterology fellowship training at his current institution, the University of Florida at Gainesville, where he was promoted to an Assistant Professor in 1994 after three years of fellowship and one year of serving as a chief Pediatric resident. The candidate proposes to obtain research training working in his own space within the "pediatric core laboratory" but under the supervision of Dr. Lau, who is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Florida at Gainsville. The candidate presents data regarding a cell culture model supporting HCV replication. He proposes to optimize in vitro HCV replication in this liver-derived cell culture model by manipulating the inoculation conditions, using inducers of cell differentiation, and stimulating LDL receptor expression. He plans to use specific assays for the detection and quantitation of HCV replication in the cell culture model. He further proposes to use this model to study HCV quasispecies. Training Plan and Goals. Dr. Lau (the proposed mentor) plans to continue his supervision of the candidate. However, it is not clear what this supervision entails. There is no plan outlined in the application for formal didactic training of the candidate. Participating Faculty. The mentor, Dr. Johnson Lau, is a well known investigator in this field but his expertise is not in the area of cell biology. He has a long list of trainees most of whom were/are fellows who have been successful in getting their work published. However, it is not clear if any of the trainees have gone on to become independent investigators with their own funding. Fellow. The applicant, Dr. R. Gonzalez-Peralta, has some experience in hepatitis C research as evidenced by the previous publications. He has completed his fellowship training and has been an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics since 1994. Resources and Environment. The resources are adequate and the Department of Pediatrics appears committed to provide the protected time necessary for the applicant. The applicant and his mentor's laboratories are well equipped to perform the proposed work.