Doctoral and Postdoctoral Training in the Molecular Pathogenesis of Lentiviral Diseases

This program is designed to prepare predoctoral students and postdoctoral fellows for interdisciplinary research careers in the molecular pathogenesis of virus-induced CNS disease, and particularly animal models of AIDS dementia.

Predoctoral students are trained through graduate programs in the School of Medicine (Cellular & Molecular Medicine (CMM); Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology (BCMB); Human Genetics; Pathobiology or in the Bloomberg School of Public Health's graduate program in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. Postdoctoral fellows with backgrounds in medicine, veterinary medicine and basic sciences are provided with training opportunities in laboratories with multi-disciplinary approaches to study the molecular, cell biology and pathological basis for virus induced neurological disease. 

Investigators in this program are funded from NIH grants to support this interdisciplinary research. Predoctoral students are recruited from the existing graduate programs at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution. Postdoctoral fellows are recruited both internally from the fellowship programs in Neurology and Infectious Diseases, as well as externally through widespread communication to universities, medical and veterinary schools. All trainees participate actively in productive research problems and work closely with faculty.

In addition to research projects, trainees take courses, attend seminar series, participate in journal clubs, give seminars and write manuscripts as part of the program. Minority recruitment has been an active part of this program and minority faculty and trainees actively support this effort. Minority institutions are contacted by all faculty in the program and a Minority Summer Program is part of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution effort. Educational Opportunities in MCP

Investigators in the Program:

Department of Molecular and  Comparative Pathobiology

Janice E. Clements, PhD

Joseph L. Mankowski, DVM, PhD, Dip ACVP

M. Christine Zink, DVM, PhD, Dip ACVP   

Collaborators

Justin McArthur, MD, Department of Neurology

Avi Nath, M.D., Department of Neurology

Robert Siliciano, MD, PhD, Department of Medicine

Michael Weed, Ph.D., Department of Psychology

Courses Offered