Chicago D-CFAR : Basic Science Core C (Translational Virology)

Core Mission

The overall objective of the Basic Science Core is to enhance HIV/AIDS research by providing state of the art basic science technologies in a cost efficient manner.

Core Objectives

• To provide basic science services, which include those related to molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology and virology;
• To provide advice, expertise and training for the use of these techniques to graduate students, post doctoral associates, and principal investigators;
• To encourage interactions and collaborations between users of the core, as well as users of the other D-CFAR cores;
• To develop the Basic Science Core of the D-CFAR into a Basic Science Core of a full-fledged CFAR.

Core Services

• Molecular Biology

DNA sequencing, Real Time PCR, Gene array, Biochemistry, Protein Production & Purification, Peptide Synthesis, Protein Analyses (Western, CD, F, DSC, ITC, AU, NMR), Confocal Microscopy

• Biochemistry

            Protein Production & Purification, Peptide Synthesis, Protein Analyses (Western, CD, F, DSC, ITC, AU, NMR), Confocal Microscopy

• Immunology

            Immunoassays (ELISPOT,Cytokine, NK), Flow cytometry, Cell sorting

• Virology

            Specimen Processing, HIV co-culture, p24 antigen, HIVRNA, HIV DNA, Genotype & Drug Resistance, HBV & HCV

Core Contacts

Director: James Bremer, PhD

Dr. Bremer is currently a tenured Professor in the Department of Immunology/Microbiology at RUMC. In addition, he holds the positions of Director of the Clinical Retrovirology Research Laboratory (CRRL) and Director of the Virology Quality Assurance (VQA) Program for NIH/NIAID/DAIDS which has been housed at RUMC since 1995. His laboratory has extensive experience in the techniques of clinical virology.

 

Co-Director:  Michael Caffrey, PhD

Dr. Caffrey is currently a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at UIC. His research interests are focused on the structure and function properties of HIV and AIDS-related proteins. He has expertise in wide variety of experimental techniques that are important for HIV/AIDS research including: molecular biology, cell biology, virology, protein purification, protein characterization, drug discovery, and structural biology.

 

Core Steering Committee: TBD

For more information, contact:

James W. Bremer, PhD
Director, Core-C - Basic Science
Email: james_bremer@rush.edu

Michael S. Caffrey, PhD
Co-Director, Core-C - Basic Science
Email: caffrey@uic.edu