Investigators in the Shivani Patel Lab study ways to improve intraoperative resuscitation during pediatric surgeries.

Dr. Stephen Berry’s research focuses on healthcare quality, safety and costs among persons living with HIV, both in the outpatient and inpatient settings. He conducts observational and interventional studies of sexually transmitted infection screening in HIV clinics, with a focus on improving performance to meet national guidelines. He leads observational studies of rates and reasons for hospitalizations and of 30-day readmission rates among HIV patients. He is conducting a randomized study of a nurse- and pharmacist-based team to reduce inpatient HIV medication errors and increase engagement in outpatient care among persons living with HIV who are hospitalized at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

HPTN (HIV Prevention Trials Network) Network Laboratory (NL) is responsible for collecting, testing and reporting results from biological samples; assisting in the development and quality assurance assessment of local laboratory capacity at the Clinical Trials Units (CTUs) participating in HPTN clinical trials (www.hptn.org); and identifying and implementing state-of-the-art assays and technologies to advance the scientific agenda of the Network.

Work in the Philip Smith Lab explores several key topics within the field of sleep medicine. We investigate the role of obesity and neural control in sleep-disordered breathing as well as the impact of metabolic function on sleep apnea. We also research the ways in which HIV and its treatments impact a patient’s sleep. Our studies have included the effects of HIV and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on both sleep and daytime function as well as the relationship between systemic inflammation and sleep apnea in men with HIV.

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.

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.

The Anna Durbin Lab evaluates experimental vaccines through human clinical trials. We have conducted both pediatric and adult clinical trials on vaccines for HIV, hepatitis C, HPV, influenza, malaria, dengue virus, rotavirus and other viruses. We also have a longstanding interest in better understanding the immunologic factors of dengue infection and disease. We’re working to identify the viral, host and immunologic factors that cause severe dengue illness.

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.

The Amita Gupta Lab focuses on drug trials to prevent and treat HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and other 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.

Research in the Joseph Cofrancesco Jr. Lab focuses primarily on health care for HIV-positive patients. Our recent studies have explored topics such as HIV antiretroviral treatments, HIV resistance and the long-term complications of HIV treatment. In addition, we are part of the U.S. Fat Redistribution and Metabolism (FRAM) study and have had a long-standing involvement in projects that examine metabolic and fat complications in Thailand.