Under the direction of Dr. Mary Kearney, the Virology Core Facility is conducting analyses of HIV samples from clinical and basic studies on HIV, which are providing new and important information on viral dynamics, genetics, and evolution both in vitro and in vivo.  Dr. Kearney is working closely with Dr. Frank Maldarelli in the Clinical Program, in consultation with Dr. John Coffin of Tufts University and Dr. John Mellors of the University of Pittsburgh, to develop methods for obtaining very large numbers of sequences from virus circulating in plasma, for measuring virus load with much greater sensitivity than can be reliably attained with currently available tests, and for detecting minor drug resistance mutations in vivo.  As part of this work, the Virology Core is using a range of techniques such as limiting-dilution polymerase chain reaction (PCR), allele-specific PCR, site-directed mutagenesis, and viral load monitoring.

Last modified: 14 January 2009