OPERATION OF A MOLECULAR VIROLOGY/IMMUNOLOGY LABORATORY

该合同结合了基础研究的重点和分子 分子学部小组的生物学专业知识 病毒学，乔治城大学，与持续的计划 监测和指导DMID工作人员纳入国家- 来自外部研究人员的最先进的协议，否则 在赠款资助的水平上是无法实现的。基础研究 焦点继续是对土拨鼠的刻画 作为人类乙肝模型的肝炎病毒(WHV)感染 病毒感染及其长期后遗症。的新参数 免疫学、发病机制和病毒学将在 合同期。人丁型肝炎病毒的研究 哪些共同感染WHV感染的土拨鼠将扩大到包括 潜在的疫苗研究以及病原学分析 不同的人类HDV分离株。两地之间的差异 松鼠肝炎病毒(GSHV)和WHV将被检查以 确定疾病进展过程中变异的遗传原因。这个 所有这些研究的最终目标是辨别出 病毒感染的决定因素会导致疾病的慢性化 反对疾病恢复以及在哪里可以进行阻断 预防导致肝硬变和肝细胞癌的事件 乙肝患者中的癌。

This contract combines a basic research emphasis and the molecular biology expertise of the group at the Division of Molecular Virology, Georgetown University, with the continuous programmatic monitoring and direction of DMID staff towards inclusion of state- of-the-art protocols from outside researchers which would otherwise not be achievable at a grant-funded level. The basic research focus continues to be the characterization of the Woodchuck Hepatitis Virus (WHV) infection as a model for human hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and its long-term sequelae. New parameters of immunology, pathogenesis, and virology will be addressed during the contract period. Studies on the human hepatitis D virus (HDV) which coinfects WHV-infected woodchucks will be expanded to include potential vaccine studies as well as pathogenic analyses of different human HDV isolates. The differences between the Ground Squirrel Hepatitis Virus (GSHV) and WHV will be examined to identify genetic causes of variation in disease progression. The eventual goal from all these studies is to discern what determinants of viral infection lead to disease chronicity as opposed to disease recovery and where can interdiction take place to prevent the events leading to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis B patients.