APPLYING BIOINFORMATICS AND COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY TO STUDY HIV/AIDS

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. This project focuses upon Research in Computational Epidemiology with an emphasis on a health disparity disease of major concern, that of HIV/AIDS. SPECIFIC AIMS: 1) Development of a novel micro-epidemiologic computational model for HIV/AIDS at the intracellular level: The model was developed to provide insights in how an intracellular/molecular level model can be incorporated within a macro-epidemiologic integrative systems dynamics model for examining a variety of computational experimentations. 2) Development of a systems dynamics model and modelling of the multifactorial epidemiology of HIV/AIDS. An epidemiologic model that incorporates cellular/molecular (micro level) and macro level epidemiologic dynamics for examining preventive and therapeutic strategies of HIV/AIDS in African American sub populations was developed. 3) Modelling of the multifactorial epidemiology of HIV/AIDS: Multifactorial and quantitative epidemiologic studies that interrelate (biomedical, behavioral, and socioeconomic factors) determinants have been developed. Using these models as our experimental medium, we evaluate various intervention scenarios to recommend effective strategies for the community to minimize the risk of new infections prevent future infections and manage existing infections. 4) Static modeling to examine if HAART Therapies for HIV/AIDS. To answer the question of which combination of HAART is most effective we collaborated with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) 1917 HIV/AIDS clinic. Although the results of this study appeared promising in the beginning, they did not provide clear and reliable outcomes. STUDIES AND RESULTS: Manuscripts are being prepared for submission to journals. PLANS: To continue analyzing data, gathering more data and information for the estimation of the parameters and variables of the model for HIV/AIDS with a focus on the macro-epidemiology of AIDS in African Americans.