Virology and Immunology Unit

SIV (Simian Immunodeficiency Virus) (left panel). HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) (right panel).

SAIDS (Simian AIDS) is an autoimmune disease that results from an SIV infection, just as AIDS in humans results from HIV. Macaque monkeys that have SAIDS are ideal models to study the prevention of HIV infection and pathology of AIDS in humans. Monkeys and humans have similar physiology, drug metabolism, placentation and fetal development.

The Virology and Immunology Unit encompasses researchers from a variety of diciplines to better understand human diseases and treatment:

• A nonhuman primate model of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a clinically important human pathogen, has been developed. This system is being used to develop novel strategies to prevent HCMV in susceptible individuals, such as AIDS patients, transplant recipients, and some fetuses and newborns.
• Refining our understanding of which viral genes are critical for the pathogenesis of AIDS.
• The epidemiology and zoonotic potential of nonhuman primate infectious diseases, including developing better diagnostic tools for these studies
• Developing the SIV/rhesus macaque pediatric model of disease (Simian immunodeficiency virus), to better understand the pathogenesis of SIV/SHIV in neonates and test strategies for immunoprophylaxis and antiviral therapy to prevent infection or slow disease progression
• The mechanisms of SIV/SHIV mucosal transmission, and the biology of the immune system in the female genital tract
• The antiviral immunity in measles and SIV/SHIV infection, to determine if the cell-mediated responses lead to control of the infection or increased pathology

HIV particles

Cytomegalovirus

Many studies in the Virology and Immunology Unit are directed towards:

• Mechanisms of antiviral T-cell memory
• Understanding the cellular mechanisms of HIV transmission
• AIDS vaccine development
• Pediatric AIDS pathogenesis and treatment strategies
• Treatments to prevent or delay onset of disease in SIV infected animals
• Opportunistic infections of AIDS patients
• Development of new vaccine strategies for measles
• Epidemiology, natural history and pathogenesis of naturally occuring viral infections of nonhuman primates.

Link to the North-Central California Center for AIDS Research:

http://nccfar.ucdavis.edu/

Staff Scientists

• Chris Miller*, D.V.M., Ph.D.
• Kristina Abel, Ph.D.
• Peter Barry, Ph.D., Unit Leader
• Nick Lerche, D.V.M., M.P.V.M.
• Paul A. Luciw, Ph.D.
• Marta Marthas, Ph.D.
• Mike McChesney, M.D.