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The objective of the Division of Functional Genomics and Infectious Disease is to develop high-throughput genomic and proteomic technologies, sophisticated immunologic resources, and advanced computing and bioinformatics applications to enhance the use of nonhuman primates as models for human virus infection. This Division provides a highly-integrated, complementary analysis of genetic, proteomic, and immunologic responses to vaccination and viral challenge, allowing application of converging technologies to evaluate important biomedical questions.
Aims:
Develop and apply high-throughput genomic, proteomic, and bioinformatic technologies to nonhuman primate models of viral infection and vaccination
Develop sophisticated immunologic resources to evaluate and integrate immunologic analysis of viral-host interactions
Advanced computing and bioinformatics applications to enhance the use of nonhuman primates as models for human virus infection |
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The Washington National Primate Research Center is unique in its ability to simultaneously apply and integrate genomic, proteomic, bioinformatic, and immunologic analyses to the characterization of nonhuman primate models of virus infection. The Center has established this Division to integrate complementary technologies to provide previously unavailable characterization of nonhuman primate response to infectious agents and vaccines.
The four Cores of the Division—Genomics, Proteomics, Protective Immunity, and Animal Models—provide the resources needed to analyze nonhuman primates at multiple points along the flow of biological information; from the whole animal to DNA to RNA to protein to biological function. By integrating these diverse types of data, we have the opportunity to better understand the dynamics of the host response to infection and the molecular mechanisms underlying the progression to virus-mediated disease, immunopathology, or the development of protective immunity. We also have the opportunity to better understand how gene expression changes (in response to infection) translate into changes in protein abundance and function, and how these changes correlate with clinical outcome. This multilayered and integrated approach also allows us to evaluate the biological significance of specific gene expression changes. Moreover, by working with an animal model, we can assess how changes in gene expression and protein abundance affect immune cell function, and how the innate immune response develops and its link to adaptive immunity. This integrated approach can translate into molecular signatures that predict protective immunity or pathology, biomarkers for diagnostic or prognostic assays, and a rational base for improvements to antiviral therapies or vaccine strategies.
For more information on primate genomics, please visit macaque.org.
Michael G. Katze, Ph.D.
Edward A. Clark, Ph.D.
Murali-Krishna Kaja, Ph.D.
Shiu-Lok Hu, Ph.D.
David M. Anderson, D.V.M. |
