Viral Pathogenesis Core

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PROJECT SUMMARY THIRD COAST CFAR CORE E: VIRAL PATHOGENESIS CORE (VPC) The Viral Pathogenesis Core (VPC) brings highly sophisticated tools, services and reagents of biological HIV research to the interdisciplinary research teams of the TC CFAR. The largest number of VPC users address Overall aim 3: to discover/develop scientific innovations that better prevent HIV and improve treatment of all conditions for persons living with HIV (PLWH). We provide, and are enhancing, consultation and training to facilitate the ability of our diverse teams spanning the breadth of HIV research disciplines at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University to contribute to development of new biological interventions that will reduce transmission of HIV, address the increased risk of chronic diseases of aging in the HIV+ population, and advance HIV cure research. VPC has already strongly grown opportunities for adding biological tools to the work of clinical and behavioral HIV researchers addressing Overall aims 1 (improving HIV prevention and care continuums) and 2 (non-AIDS co-morbidities). New activities will add engagement of laboratory researchers studying aging biology and aging-related disorders who are interested in collaborations on aging in HIV, in support of Overall aim 2. The specific aims of the VP Core are: 1) provide an expanding menu of virological, imaging and immunological assays, as well as consultation and navigation to other disciplines and technologies, that will advance innovative, interdisciplinary HIV research; 2) provide expert design/performance of HIV experiments, as well as consultation/navigation on imaging, systems biology, -omics; 3) strengthen information exchange and partnerships with other HIV research disciplines and with laboratory / translational researchers new to HIV who are interested in non-AIDS comorbidities. The VPC’s cutting edge tools for studying HIV at the molecular, cell, tissue, and organismal levels include highly sophisticated instrumentation; experienced technical support and customized training; and expert consultation / navigation for new technologies, creative experimental designs and innovative pathogenic hypotheses. A primary objective of the VPC is to make these approaches equally available to the molecular virologist, the clinical/translational researcher, and the behavioral/social scientist. VPC adds value and the necessary rigor in all experimentation, including for projects that previously had limited or no access to approaches such as multiplex biomarker assays and virologic assessments. The Data Insight Group (DIG) is expanding consultation and navigation to specialized multi-omics approaches to studies of this virus, as well. The DIG brings together an exciting group of young investigators utilizing advanced technologies in their own research programs as a mechanism to extend incorporation of these approaches into other TC CFAR members’ research. Customized mentorship, navigation and training will also build and strengthen partnerships and collaborations. In this way, the VPC will advance the mission of the TC CFAR to catalyze scientific innovations that will slow, and eventually stop, the HIV epidemic.