This grant application focuses on the establishment of a Louisiana Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) in Experimental Infectious Disease Research (CEIDR) at the Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine (LSUSVM). This Center will become the focal point of university-wide efforts for the development of nationally competitive scientists in immunity and pathogenesis of infectious diseases. The proposed COBRE represents a strategic alliance between the LSU SVM, the LSU College of Basic Sciences (CBS) and the Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC). The COBRE will be administered by Dr. K. G. Kousoulas (Principal Investigator, LSU). The initial phase of the proposed program encompasses five integrated research projects under the overall umbrella of molecular and immunological aspects of viral infections. Subsequent phases of the Center will include additional projects and investigators working on bacterial and parasitic organisms as well as virology. Hallmarks of the proposed program include senior faculty mentoring junior faculty as co-investigators as well as multidisciplinary mentoring and external advisory committees ensuring success of the overall program. The selected junior investigators (SJIs) are tenure track assistant professors. The individual projects involve molecular virological as well as pathogenetic and immunological aspects of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV), mouse retrovirus, measles virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Experimental approaches range from basic virological studies in cell culture to direct experimentation in mice and rhesus macaques to delineate pathogenetic profiles and immune responses of viral infections. Enhancement of the research infrastructure and support of the five research projects will be achieved by the creation of two core laboratories. A Molecular Biology/Immunology Core (MBCL) will be situated at the LSUSVM and will provide molecular biological expertise including real-time PCR and microarray processing, analysis and bioinformatics. In addition, this Core will assist individual investigators in the implementation of molecular/immunological assays. A Non- Human Primate Laboratory Core (NHPCL) will be housed at the TNPRC and will provide expertise in animal related research needs as well as in the characterization of immunological parameters of immunized nonhuman primates. A local mentoring committee will consist of senior scientists with expertise in virology an immunobiology. An external advisory committee will consist of five out-of-state internationally recognized expert scientists in infectious diseases. Future development of the COBRE will be achieved through the addition of 3-5 new investigators recruited from the participating institutions. A significant financial commitment has been made to ensure the success of the program.
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