Vanderbilt-Meharry CFAR
Primary contact:
Timothy Sterling: timothy.sterling@vanderbilt.edu
http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/root/vumc.php?site=cfar
1. HIV/TB Co-infection Projects:
- Modified BCG vaccine with reduced activity and secretion of microbial antioxidants. Aeras Global TB foundation has licensed the Vanderbilt technology for improving the immunogenicity of BCG and is making GMP vaccines that include this technology for use in human clinical trials.
Contact PI - Douglas Kernodle
Email: doug.kernodle@vanderbilt.edu
- Modified BCG (mBCG) as a vector for an HIV Vaccine. The mBCG vector with reduced antioxidant activity is a novel vaccine vector candidate that is safer and may prove useful in inducing strong CD4+ T cell responses that would sustain CD8+ T cell and antibody responses.
Contact PI - Spyros Kalams
Email: spyros.a.kalams@vanderbilt.edu
- Observational study using Comprehensive Care Center (CCC) database assessing TB risk before, during, and after HAART initiation.
Contact PI-April Pettit
Email: april.pettit@vanderbilt.edu
- Case control study of HIV as a risk factor for TB recurrence using Tennessee Tuberculosis Information Management System (TIMS) database/isolates.
Contact PI-April Pettit
Email: april.pettit@vanderbilt.edu
- Observational study of TB risk following HAART initiation using North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD) database.
Contact PI-Timothy Sterling
Email: timothy.sterling@vanderbilt.edu
- Observational study of TB risk following HAART initiation using Caribbean, Central and South America Network for HIV research (CCASAnet) database.
Contact PI-Timothy Sterling
Email: timothy.sterling@vanderbilt.edu
- ACTG Study A5259: Weekly Rifapentine/INH vs. Daily Isoniazid for the Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis (TB)
Contact PI-David Haas
Email: david.haas@vanderbilt.edu
2. HIV/TB Researchers:
- Timothy Sterling, M.D.
-Quinolone resistance (phenotypic and genotypic) and TB
-TB Epidemiologic Studies Consortium (TBESC): Task Order 2-Prospective Evaluation of immunogenetic and immunologic markers for susceptibility to M. tuberculosis infection and progression from M. tuberculosis infection to active TB
-TB Trials Consortium (TBTC): Study 26-Rifapentine Pharmacokinetics in Children During Treatment of Latent TB Infection
- Douglas Kernodle, M.D.
-Modified BCG vaccine with reduced activity and secretion of microbial antioxidants.
Email: doug.kernodle@vanderbilt.edu
- Spyros Kalams, M.D.
-mBCG as a vector for an HIV vaccine.
-Immune responses in TB (latent, pulmonary, and extrapulmonary).-Email: spyros.a.kalams@vanderbilt.edu
- Lakshmi Sadagopal, Ph.D.
Evaluating immunogenicity of HIV and TB vaccines.
- Christina Fiske, M.D., M.P.H.
Immune responses to TB (latent, pulmonary, and extrapulmonary).
- April Pettit, M.D.
Epidemiology and outcomes of TB.
Email: april.pettit@vanderbilt.edu
- Wonder Drake, M.D.
Sarcoidosis and mycobacteria
Email: wonder.drake@vanderbilt.edu
3. Inter-CFAR Shared Resources:
- TB-equipped BSL3 lab
- Immunopathogenesis core inside a BSL3 facility
- FacsAria with 11 color flow cytometry panel and live-cell sorting capability
- Confocal microscopy for live-cell imaging
- Evaluation of primary and recall immune responses to TB vaccines in mice. - Currently evaluating TB vaccines for Aeras Global TB foundation.
- Specimen repository at Comprehensive Care Center (CCC)-plasma and cell pellets of HIV-TB co-infected patients
- Access to isolates at Tennessee State mycobacterial lab->1,000 of these isolates are also stored at Vanderbilt with linkage to clinical and demographic data, including HIV status
- President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in Mozambique-currently only providing HIV care and treatment, but possibility to include TB care and treatment in future (contact Sten Vermund at sten.vermund@vanderbilt.edu).