The Amita Gupta Lab focuses on drug trials to prevent and treat HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and othe...r co-morbidities in adults, including pregnant women and children who reside in low-income settings. We also conduct cohort studies assessing HIV, inflammation and nutrition in international settings; TB in pregnancy; and risk factors for TB in India (CTRIUMPH). We collaborate with several faculty in the Center for TB Research, Division of Infectious Diseases and the School of Public Health. view more

Research in the Andrea Cox Lab explores the immune response in chronic viral infections, with a... focus on HIV and the hepatitis C virus (HCV). In our studies, we examine the role of the immune response upon exposure to HCV by examining responses to HCV in a longitudinal, prospective group of high-risk individuals. This enables us to compare the innate, humoral and cellular immune responses to infection with clearance versus persistence. Through our findings, we seek to identify mechanisms of protective immunity against HCV infection and improve HCV vaccine design. view more

Research in the Anne Rompalo Lab focuses on STD research and application. We recently examined ...the relationship between violence against women and HIV-related risk factors in women living in the United States. Past projects include a nine-year longitudinal observation study of HIV-infected women in Baltimore. view more

The Balagopal Lab has adapted high-resolution tools to study viruses in situ. Specifically, we ...were the first to quantify hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in single hepatocytes by developing single-cell laser capture microdissection (scLCM) and integrating this tool with highly sensitive quantitative real-time PCR. We reported that HCV infects a minority of hepatocytes that are found in geospatial clusters. More recently, we (PIs Balagopal and Thio) integrated scLCM with droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to reveal the first observations of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection at single cell resolution in the liver. We found that HBV infects nearly all hepatocytes prior to antiviral therapy. However, during antiviral therapy, HBV infection is diminished while viral transcription is markedly attenuated.

Our lab has also focused on HIV-1 infection and immune activation for over a decade. Most recently, we have studied type 1 interferon responses to HIV-1 using RNA sequencing (RNAseq). Using this technology, we identified novel interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) that are associated with HIV-1 restriction in vivo. view more

The Johns Hopkins Brain Health Program is a multi-specialty team of experts from the Johns Hopk...ins School of Medicine, Whiting School of Engineering, and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. view more

The Brain Health Program is a multidisciplinary team of faculty from the departments of neurolo...gy, psychiatry, epidemiology, and radiology lead by Leah Rubin and Jennifer Coughlin. In the hope of revealing new directions for therapies, the group studies molecular biomarkers identified from tissue and brain imaging that are associated with memory problems related to HIV infection, aging, dementia, mental illness and traumatic brain injury. The team seeks to advance policies and practices to optimize brain health in vulnerable populations while destigmatizing these brain disorders.

Current and future projects include research on: the roles of the stress response, glucocorticoids, and inflammation in conditions that affect memory and the related factors that make people protected or or vulnerable to memory decline; new mobile apps that use iPads to improve our detection of memory deficits; clinical trials looking at short-term effects of low dose hydrocortisone and randomized to 28 days of treatment; imaging brain injury and repair in NFL players to guide players and the game; and the role of inflammation in memory deterioration in healthy aging, patients with HIV, and other neurodegenerative conditions. view more

A. Laboratory activities include the use of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) techniques to m...easure intracellular drugs and drugs metabolites. AMS is a highly sensitive method for detecting tracer amounts of radio-labeled molecules in cells, tissues, and body fluids. We have been able to measure intracellular zidovudine triphosphate (the active anabolite of zidovudine) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy volunteers given small doses of 14C-zidovudine, and have directly compared the sensitivity of AMS to traditional LC/MS methods carried out in our laboratory.

B. Clinical research activities investigate the clinical pharmacology of new anti-HIV therapies and drug combinations. Specific drug classes studied include HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, entry inhibitors (selective CCR5 and CXCR4 antagonists), and integrase inhibitors. Scientific objectives of clinical studies include characterization of early drug activity, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics. Additional objectives are characterization of pathways of drug metabolism, and identification of clinically significant harmful and beneficial drug interactions mediated by hepatic and intestinal cytochrome P450 isoforms. view more

Research in the Chloe Thio lab focuses on several areas. First, HBV virology and immunology in ...HBV monoinfected and HIV-HBV co-infected individuals that will ultimately help develop a cure for HBV. Second, HCV infection in men who have sex with men. Third, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with a focus on HIV-infected individuals. Fourth, host genetic determinants of spontaneous HBV recovery and HCV clearance. view more