Establishment of a consortium of medical centers in Chicago is proposed in response to the RFA to renew funding for the Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Unit. The Chicago AIDS Clinical Trials Unit has enrolled 505 participants in AIDS Clinical Trials Group protocols in approximately 3.5 years. Thirty percent of participants have been enrolled in protocols evaluating treatment or prophylaxis for opportunistic infections. To increase the participation of women, people of color and injectable drug users in protocols we are proposing to establish subunits at Cook Country Hospital which serves underrepresented populations in Chicago. Our goal is to accrue participants representative of the demographics of the AIDS epidemic in Chicago. In addition, we have applied for funds to enable participation in protocols designed to treat neurologic and malignant complications of infection due to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1 (HIV-1). We are applying for funds to enroll 150 new participants per year primarily in phase II/III protocols. We are making a Part C application for a virology core laboratory. Funds are also requested for developmental research in virology immunology. The virology and immunology initiatives represent collaborative research to be conducted at Northwestern University Medical School and Rush's Presbyterian-St. Lukes Medical Center. The objectives of the developmental virology study are to evaluate new virologic markers for which assess HIV load, expression and infected cell types. The objectives of the immunologic development study are to evaluate assays of CD4+ lymphocyte function, CD8+ lymphocyte phenotype and function, B-cell function and B- cell activation in response to antiretroviral therapy. In addition, phenotypic features, oncogene profile and DNA content of B-cell lymphomas in HIV infected individuals will be studied.
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