Consistent with the Center's theme, the mission of Core E is to facilitate a broad range of biological and behavioral intervention studies that are designed to optimize psychiatric, behavioral, and medical outcomes among HIV infected individuals. The Core will perform assays for all Pilot Projects, as well as design and implement novel assays. This Core will perform laboratory and imaging assessments that define the mental illnesses and co-morbidities related to HIV/AIDS and unique modeling and measurements related to various behavioral and pharmacologic interventions. The Core will benefit from the major strengths of the School of Medicine, CHOP, Centers, Departments, and Schools at UPenn. We will identify specific and potentially unique biomarkers which are related to mental illness and to comorbidities of HIV/AIDS. These data will be collected for all subjects to be studied in pilots and other Cores. The Core will perform assays of body fluids and cells including markers of immunity, inflammation, stress, and health. The Core will also carry out neuroimaging and neurocognitive measures. The Core will perform pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and pharmacogenetic assessments related to therapeutics for HIV, mental health, and co-morbidities. The Core is directed by three senior investigators, Drs. Douglas, Gur, and Barrett. The Core will support the Center's scientific agenda and developmental program. This Core resource will closely interact with existing resources at UPenn, which are central to the mission of the PMHARC. The Core Director, Douglas, and Co- Directors, Barrett, and Gur, are in leadership roles at UPenn. The Core will be uniquely positioned to carry out and monitor the quality control and quality assurance of standardized selected imaging, biochemical markers, neuropsychological behavioral testing, and laboratory testing. The Core will work closely with all the other PMHARC Cores, and most closely with the Clinical Assessment Core, in an effort to gather integrated 'state-of-the-art' biomedical and behavioral data on a cohort of H1V+ persons with a variety of mental illnesses in an effort to better understand disease trajectories and outcomes.
The measurement of laboratory biomarkers, quantitative pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and neuroimaging and neuropsychological testing to comorbidities and mental disease will provide novel data and be collected for all subjects studied in pilots and other Cores. Core E will assist pilot projects and investigators in the ongoing projects and new project development in HIV/AIDS and mental illness.
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