Under the direction of Dr. John D. Atlman, the mission of Core H, the Emory CFAR Immunology Core Laboratory (ICL) is to provide the Emory community with the highest quality assessments of immunological function necessary for the study of the pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention of immunodeficiency virus infections in humans and non-human primates. The ICL will achieve this mission through the following specific aims: 1. Flow cytometry. We will maintain a state-of-the-art flow cytometry facility, providing users with access to well maintained and calibrated instruments;""""""""full service"""""""" flow cytometry services;cell sorting, including at the BSL-3 level;and training in instrument operation, panel design and data analysis. 2. Antibody responses. We will provide a carefully selected set of services that do not duplicate activities that are standard in potential client laboratories. We will focus on binding antibodies using ELISA and ASC assays (antibody secreting cells) and on isolation of human and non-human primate monoclonal antibodies derived from mRNA isolated for sorted single cells. 3. Luminex analysis. We will provide multiplexed assays of cytokines in human and rhesus samples. 4. PBMC repository. We will continue our rhesus PBMC repository, and, in collaboration with Core D, add a new repository of highly characterized human PBMC samples derived from leukapharesis procedures. 5. T cell responses. We will continue to provide ELISpot and ICS assays, and we will add innovative new approaches to antigen delivery for T cell assays using viral vectors. We will help users relieve bottlenecks in MHC tetramer analysis by providing novel high-throughput methods for tetramer construction and by providing users with combinatorial tetramers including fluorophores that are not available from other sources. 6. We will continue to promote immunological assay education and training opportunities for CFAR investigators, the AIDS research community in Atlanta, and other National and International AIDS researchers.
Through the provision of advanced immunological assays, the numerous projects supported by Core H will be instrumental in developing novel HIV vaccines-both preventative and therapeutic-and in developing a better understanding of AIDS pathogenesis.
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