Human Immunodeficiency Virus Pathogenesis and Evolution
Though our laboratory concentrates on SIV-infected macaques, we are committed to translating our research findings to HIV. During the last two yeas, we have initiated a number of small-scale translational research projects.
1) Recovery of archival HIV sequences from the latent reservoir
During HIV infection, the virus mutates to avoid immune responses. Since most patients do not discover their HIV status until years after infection, it is very hard to study the virus that is present near the time of infection. HIV pastes its genetic material into cells of infected individuals. Some of these cells ‘shut down’, creating a reservoir of HIV-infected cells that can be reactivated later in life. If we can isolate these cells and the viruses they harbor, we can ‘turn back the clock’ and determine what HIV looked like during early infection. We collect samples from HIV-infected patients at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics. This project is funded by the Wisconsin Partnership Program.
2) HIV superinfection in acutely infected Brazilians
We are collaborating with researchers in Sao Paulo, Brazil to examine how often their HIV+ patients are infected multiple times with different strains of HIV. We developed protocols to analyze the genetics of SIV that are applicable to the detection of HIV superinfection. This project is funded by the Vilas Associate program.
3) The HIV Elite Controller Projects
A small minority of HIV+ patients effectively control their virus without drugs. Finding these patients is like hunting for a needle in a haystack, since people who feel fine often do not even know that they are HIV+. We coordinate UW-Madison participation in the HIV Elite Controller Study, an international initiative to identify and collect blood samples from these rare individuals. This project is run by Partners AIDS Research Center.