The broad objective of this SERCA application is to obtain in-depth research experience in the field of immunology, with the ultimate goal being to develop a career as an independent researcher in comparative medicine. The candidate is committed to using his skills to study animal models of human disease. The research proposal centers around the basic hypothesis that the immunogenicity of an antigen can be augmented by presenting that antigen in the context of the potent immuno-stimulatory dendritic cell. The first three years of the award will focus on testing this hypothesis using the tumor-associated antigen, epithelial cell mucin, which has been identified as a target for tumor-specific T lymphocytes of patients suffering from breast, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers. The application proposes use of a novel and highly relevant primate model, the chimpanzee, from which the candidate has developed techniques to cultivate dendritic cells for manipulation in vitro. In the final two years the emphasis will switch to testing this hypothesis using the envelope glycoprotein of HIV in the chimpanzee model. These studies will incorporate the experience from the first studies with the candidate's background in viral immunology and virology. The mentor, Professor Olivera J. Finn, is funded in the field of human tumor immunology, and the university has several other research programs studying the immunotherapy of cancer. The candidate has the support of three additional faculty members from the School of Medicine, including Professor Ronald C. Montelaro, a lentivirus researcher who act as an advisor in the independent studies of Years 4 and 5.
