Case Western Reserve University CFAR

Primary contacts

David Canaday
Zahra Toossi
Website

1. Ongoing HIV/TB Co-infection Projects:
• Impact of TB on HIV-1 infection.  Investigation of the impact of TB on immunologic and virologic factors in HIV-1 disease .  Zahra Toossi zxt2@case.edu
• Mechanisms of increased susceptibility to TB in HIV-1 infected subjects  Mechanisms ofincreased susceptibility of mononuclear cells to HIV infection and defects in MHC-II antigen presentation of HIV-1 in dual infection.  David Canaday dxc44@case.edu  
2. HIV/TB Researchers:
• Dr. R.  Silve
  Responses of human alveolar macrophages and monocytes to virulent MTB infection
  rfs4@case.edu
• Dr. D. Canaday
  Antigen presentation of virulent MTB by mononuclear phagocytes and dendritic cells
  xc44@case.edu
• Dr. L. Nguyen
  MTB virulence genes liem.
  nguyen@case.edu
• Dr. H. Boom
  Heterogeneity of T-cells in MTB infection
  whb@case.edu
• Dr. Z. Toossi
  Role of TGF-b in Pathogenesis of TB
  zxt2@case.edu
• Dr. R.  Rojas
  Role of MTB lipid and protein components in activation of human innate immunity
  rxr38@case.edu
• Dr. L. Ramachandran
  Phagosome-lysosome biology in MTB infection
  lxr2@case.edu
• Dr. C. Hirsch
  Role of regulatory T-cells in immune responses to MTB
  cxh40@case.edu
• Dr. C. Harding 
  M. tuberculosis lipoprotein-TLR2 interactions
  clifford.harding@case.edu
  
• Dr. C. Stein
  Genetic susceptibility to TB, and the interaction between HIV infection and human risk genotype
  catherine.stein@case.edu
3. Available Inter-CFAR Shared Resources:
   • BSL-3 facilities:
     Core E (Microbial Pathogenesis) of the CWRU CFAR has promoted research in the study of TB and HIV/TB interaction for over 10 years, and has therefore State-of-the-Art expertise in handling pathogenic MTB safely.  This expertise includes the capacity to propagate and assess virulent MTB growth and to assess MTB gene expression.  Presently this expertise is in use by CFAR investigators at CWRU, however, our large capacity services can be also made available to interested researchers at other sites.
   • Capacities include:
     Virulent MTB propagation (Roller Incubator), and quantitation. Real-time PCR assays for MTB genes including (85A and B, AcR, ribosomal 16S) by Taqman (StepOne).  Methodologies for preparation of RNA from MTB or MTB-infected cell samples. Methodologies and equipment for electroporation of MTB (Biorad-Gene Pulser II). Methodologies for viable sorting of MTB-infected or exposed mononuclear cells (Elite, Beckman-Coulter).