This is a resubmission of a K23 grant application that is designed to enable Dr. Laurence Huang to acquire additional clinical research training and to develop a research program that will allow him to become an independent and successful clinical investigator. The plan emphasizes didactic training in clinical epidemiology, molecular methods in clinical research, and advanced statistical analysis techniques, which he will gain through completion of a Master's Degree Program in Clinical Research. This didactic training will be coupled with the opportunity to spend time in the laboratories of his scientific collaborators so that he may gain practical insights into the new and highly promising molecular techniques he proposes to use to examine the epidemiology and transmission of human Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. These studies will involve the close collaboration of scientists from the CDC, NIH, and several university-based laboratories. and will be conducted under the guidance of his two co-mentors: Philip Hopewell, MD, one of the world's foremost experts in the molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis, and Dennis Osmond, PhD, a leading HIV/AIDS epidemiologist and biostatistician. Although the transmission of Pneumocystis carinii between mammals of the same species has been convincingly demonstrated in the laboratory, it is unproven whether a similar clinical model exists for human disease. In addition, it is debated whether PCP in humans develops solely from reactivation or of a latent infection acquired early in childhood or also from acquisition of a new infection due to a recent exposure. The proposed research plan will determine whether P. carinii and immune responses to P. carinii can be detected in household and hospital contacts living with and caring for HIV-infected patients with PCP and, if P. carinii is detected, whether the P. carinii genetic sequence from a contact matches that from the patient with PCP. This information will be used to develop future studies to examine whether PCP can result from acquisition of a new infection. Since PCP remains a leading cause of the moribiity and mortality in HIV-infected and other immunocompromised persons, insights into its epidemiology and transmission may have profound implications for clinical management and disease prevention.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
Project #
1K23HL072117-01A1
Application #
6670213
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZHL1-CSR-J (M1))
Program Officer
Colombini-Hatch, Sandra
Project Start
2003-07-01
Project End
2007-06-30
Budget Start
2003-07-01
Budget End
2004-06-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$121,608
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California San Francisco
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
094878337
City
San Francisco
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94143
Davis, J Lucian; Huang, Laurence; Kovacs, Joseph A et al. (2009) Polymerase chain reaction of secA1 on sputum or oral wash samples for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. Clin Infect Dis 48:725-32
Davis, J L; Welsh, D A; Beard, C B et al. (2008) Pneumocystis colonisation is common among hospitalised HIV infected patients with non-Pneumocystis pneumonia. Thorax 63:329-34
Morris, Alison; Wei, Kenneth; Afshar, Kamyar et al. (2008) Epidemiology and clinical significance of pneumocystis colonization. J Infect Dis 197:10-7
de Oliveira, Ana; Unnasch, Thomas R; Crothers, Kristina et al. (2007) Performance of a molecular viability assay for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis pneumonia in HIV-infected patients. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 57:169-76
Morris, Alison; Masur, Henry; Huang, Laurence (2006) Current issues in critical care of the human immunodeficiency virus-infected patient. Crit Care Med 34:42-9
Miller, Robert F; Huang, Laurence (2006) A need for standardized definitions for clinical studies of Pneumocystis. J Eukaryot Microbiol 53 Suppl 1:S87-8
Huang, Laurence; Quartin, Andrew; Jones, Denis et al. (2006) Intensive care of patients with HIV infection. N Engl J Med 355:173-81
Daly, Kieran R; Huang, Laurence; Morris, Alison et al. (2006) Antibody response to Pneumocystis jirovecii major surface glycoprotein. Emerg Infect Dis 12:1231-7
Huang, Laurence; Welsh, David A; Miller, Robert F et al. (2006) Pneumocystis jirovecii dihydropteroate synthase gene mutations and human immunodeficiency virus-associated Pneumocystis pneumonia. J Eukaryot Microbiol 53 Suppl 1:S114-6
Huang, Laurence; Murray, John F (2005) A rose is a rose: but what about Pneumocystis pneumonia? Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 9:1297-8

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