The Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Immunologic Diseases of the University of Alabama at Birmingham is a multidisciplinary effort by faculty in the Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Pathology, and Cell Biology and Anatomy of the School Of Medicine. The primary goal of this CIRID program is to bring together basic and clinical investigators to develop a firm base for new scientific and clinical programs in allergic, autoimmune and immuno- deficiency diseases and to accelerate the transfer of knowledge from basic to clinical investigation. The ultimate goal is to provide better means of prevention, diagnosis, and therapy of immune system disorders. The proposed activities include basic and clinical research projects and a multi-part professional and community education program. Seven research projects in focal areas of T and B cell differentiation, autoimmunity and immunodeficiency form the basis of the CIRID program to develop and immunodeficiency form the basis of the CIRID program to develop and strengthen scientific linkage to clinical programs in allergy, asthma, and other immunologically- mediated diseases. The projects focus on the potential roles of novel T cell subpopulations, MHC class III genes, Vh gene rearrangement, and regulation of galactosyltransferase activity in autoimmunity and immunodeficiency, the role of antigens in pattern selection of B cell repertoire during ontogeny and following bone marrow transplantation, and the influence of DNA topology in isotype switching, The unifying theme for these related research projects is to link animal and human studies of the immune system at both molecular and cellular levels. We hold to the thesis that studies of the basic immune response, regardless of the immunoglobulin class or cell type under investigation, have relevance to all applied and clinical branches of this intricate system of defense.
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