The primary focus of the Center for AIDS Research at Stanford University is to develop more new human therapeutic antivirals, including both chemical and immunobiologic agents. ln order to more broadly cover major strategies for treatment and prevention of infection and disease, there will be additional efforts on vaccine development within the center as well. Three of the principal members of the center are involved in an NIAID sponsored AIDS Clinical Trial Group and the fourth is involved in studies of pathogenesis of HlV infection as well as directing a NIAID Drug Discovery Program Contract. The clinical trials team will include experts in clinical virology, immunology, pharmacology and trial design. ln order to facilitate greater involvement of our university in the AIDS area, other scientists will also be involved in the center, including molecular biologists interested in the control of replicative mechanisms of this retrovirus, biometricians and economists studying the new treatments, clinicians interested in disease mechanisms, immunologists expert in cellular immunity, and virologists interested in defining HlV replication and critical immune epitopes. ln addition to clinical studies, at least two different murine animal models will be used to examine anti- retroviral action, including an immunosuppressive murine retrovirus as well as HIV virus effects on human lymphoid cells replicating in immunodeficient mice. In order to carry out the intended studies, shared core facilities will be established in virology, immunology and cell separation as well as a university-wide seminar series and a program of local administrated grants. These programs will be used as prime stimuli to support both clinical and fundamental work which furthers the center's primary focus on therapy of HIV infection of man.
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