The Johns Hopkins Neurovirology and Neuroimmunology Laboratory

Viral and immune mediated disorders of the nervous system remain the most challenging of all neurological disorders. Despite the high morbidity associated with these disorders, neither is the pathophysiology well understood and nor are there any good diagnostic techniques or treatment available. The most common neuroimmune disorder that afflicts man is Multiple Sclerosis and the most common viral infection of the nervous system is HIV infection. Common to both disorders is the progressive loss on neurons resulting in significant cognitive and motor dysfunction. Thus the major focus of our laboratory is to understand the pathophysiology of neuronal injury of associated with these disorders. We believe that this approach is not only necessary to develop new diagnostic markers and identify new therapeutic targets, but this approach may also identify new areas of research applicable to other neurodegenerative diseases.