TB/HIV Coinfection Working Group
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University of Massachusetts CFAR
Primary Contacts
Chris Sassetti: christopher.sassetti@umassmed.edu
http://www.umassmed.edu/cfar/index.aspx
1. HIV/TB Co-infection Projects:
- Drs. Mario Stevenson and Christopher Sassetti are investigating the mechanisms by which HIV promotes Mtb growth in coinfected macrophages. Contact: Christopher.sassetti@umassmed.edu, mario.stevenson@umassmed.edu
- Dr. Paul Clapham is collaborating with Dr. David Russell (Cornell, Ithaca) to investigate the effect of HIV infection on the antibacterial properties of the macrophage. Contact: Paul.clapham@umassmed.edu
2. HIV/TB Researchers:
- Hardy Kornfeld: Antimycobacterial Mechanisms of Apoptosis in the Lung, Impact of Diabetes and Hyperlipidemia on Host Defense, Heterologous Immunity between Viruses and Mycobacteria hardy.kornfeld@umassmed.edu
- Chris Sassetti: Molecular mechanisms of TB pathogenesis. Christopher.sassetti@umassmed.edu
- Michelle Kelliher: Innate immune recognition of M. tuberculosis. Michelle.kelliher@umassmed.edu
3. Inter-CFAR Shared Resources:
- The Virology Core facility functions as a resource for Virus, Cells, and Molecular Virology Assays. It will provide Phenotyping service, Screening service and Qualitative/Quantitative Detection service to the participating CFAR investigators. The facility will have standardized and centralized routine research techniques and reagents available for the investigators.
- BSL3 flow cytometer. The BSL3 FACS Aria is configured with 5 parameters on the 488nm laser, 3 parameters on the 633nm laser, 3 parameters on the 405nm laser, and 3 parameters on the 350nm laser. This machine is housed in a BSL3 facility allowing sorting unscreened human and/or infectious samples up to biosafety level 3.
- Humanized mouse models. Dr. Robert Woodland has generated human/mouse chimeras in which the development of the human lymphocyte compartment is promoted by the addition of species-restricted cytokines. This mouse model is currently in use to test HIV vaccine candidates and may be useful as a coninfection model.