Core H: Retrovirology ServicesThe specific aims of the Retrovirology Services Core (Core H) of the Lifespan/Tufts/Brown CFAR are to (1)Provide basic virology laboratory services to CFAR investigators in support of their HIV-1 centered basicscience investigation with emphasis on junior investigators and those individuals who have received CFARdevelopmental grant awards, (2) Process and archive clinical specimens from ongoing single and multi-sitetrials (AACTG, HPTN, HVTN, SUN), and (3) Facilitate the HIV-1 basic science training/education of pre- andpostdoctoral students at CFAR institutions and those individuals participating in the Brown/Tufts UniversityFogarty AIDS International Research Training Program (D43TW000237). The Core began operations inSeptember of 2002 and over the past 4 years has created and maintained 3500 square feet of newlaboratory space with strong institutional support. This infrastructure has been used in part by seven recentlyrecruited junior investigators working on various aspects of HIV-1 virology. All seven individuals havereceived new federal and/or private funding for their various projects. Presently, the research interests ofCore users fall into the following broad categories: Microbicide design and delivery, Evolution of antiretroviralresistance in resource-poor areas, Development of novel therapeutic approaches to HIV-1 and relatedmalignancies and infections, Characterization of HIV-1 genital burden, Designing optimum HIV-1 treatmentparadigms in hard-to-reach populations or those residing in resource poor areas and, Longitudinal studies ofthe natural history of HIV-1 infection. In the current granting period, the Core will maintain all current assayand archiving capabilities and expand the range of services to provide tools for RNAi based assays. Inaddition, the Core will assist investigators in performing experiments with small animals in support of NIHfunded investigations of microbicide design and delivery. The Core will continue to manage the 50,000+archive of clinical samples and support the pursuit of new clinical trials by CFAR faculty. The Core willcontinue to offer assay support to recently funded investigators on a fee-for-service basis and continue tosupport meritorious projects by junior faculty who have not garnered independent grant support.
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