Despite progress made in the fight against AIDS, the World Health Organization still estimates that this devastating disease will take the lives of nearly 68 million people over the next 20 years. That is why SFBR researchers continue to follow a number of different approaches in their efforts to combat this worldwide epidemic.
Dr. Jonathan Allan is working to understand how HIV induces AIDS in people by studying simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIV) in their natural host, with particular attention paid to the discovery of how seemingly harmless viral infections in monkeys can pose a serious health risk to humans. Therefore, his laboratory has developed several nonhuman primate models for research on human diseases including not only AIDS but also cancer. Dr. Allan recently developed a core retroviral diagnostic laboratory under the auspices of the Southwest National Primate Research Center and is presently providing expertise and screening for simian retroviruses that could potentially infect humans.
Dr. Luis Giavedoni, who also studies simian immunodeficiency viruses, recently initiated the first phase of a study to determine the role of regulatory receptors on CD8+ cells during SIV infection. CD8+ cells encompass both cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) and natural killer cells (NK cells), which are essential components of the immune system for the control of viral infections.
The main focus of Dr. Krishna Murthy’s research is pathogenesis of viral infections, immune response of the host to infections, and candidate vaccine strategies. A majority of his studies are being performed using human and nonhuman primate samples from hosts exposed to human immunodeficiency viruses and various hepatitis viruses. In addition, he is collaborating with academic investigators in delineating the role of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the clearance of HCV during acute and chronic phases of infection.
Dr. Murthy works with the National Institutes of Health and several commercial ventures in testing vaccines to prevent HIV infection. Ongoing AIDS vaccine studies include determining the safety and efficacy of recombinant gp120 subunit, as well as DNA vaccines in the chimpanzee model. One of the gp120 vaccines tested is undergoing final Phase III trials in 12,000 human volunteers in the United States, Canada and Thailand. Because of the central role played by T cells in general, and CD8+ T cells in particular, their function in vaccinated animals is being evaluated. He is collaborating with NIH investigators in the development of HCV vaccine strategies for the prevention of infection in humans.
Dr. Murthy’s laboratory also provides basic clinical immunology support for both intramural and extramural investigators utilizing nonhuman primate models. This support includes the analysis of many molecules involved in the immune system.
