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November 2005
Director’s Update
The Mucosal HIV and Immunobiology Center Cores are now fully functional, including the Core III Gnotobiotic Unit directed by Dr. Trenton Schoeb (see photo below). Details regarding Core services, service request forms and Center information are available at the Center website: www.dom.uab.edu/gastro/MHIC/Home.htm.
During the past year, the Center sponsored two speakers: Hilde Charoutre, Ph.D. (La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology) and John P. Moore, Ph.D. (Cornell). This year’s speakers will be Satya Dandekar, Ph.D. (UC Davis), who will speak on mucosal SIV/HIV infection, and Maria Rescignio, Ph.D. (European Institute of Oncology, Milan), who will speak on dendritic cells.
Recent publications by Center members to which the Cores contributed include papers in Nature Immunology “Interleukin 17-producing CD4+ effector T cells develop via a lineage distinct from the T helper type 1 and 2 lineages” by Laurie Harrington and Casey Weaver, et al.; the Journal of Clinical Investigation “Human intestinal macrophages display inflammatory anergy despite avid and phagocytic and bacteriocidal activity” by Lesley Smythies, et al.; and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences “HIV binding, penetration, and primary infection in human cervicovaginal tissue” by Xiaoyun Wu, et al.
Other accomplishments include the appointment of Dr. Casey Weaver to Chair of the Grants Review Committee and Dr. Robinna Lorenz to Co-Chair the Research Training Awards Committee of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America.
Robin G. Lorenz, M.D., Ph.D. and Phillip D. Smith, M.D.
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Core I
GENETICALLY-DEFINED MICROBE AND EXPRESSION CORE
Director: John C. Kappes, Ph.D. Co-Director: Charles O. Elson, M.D.
Services:
Viral Unitü Gene transfer vector construction and validation ü Virus vector stock preparation ü GFP-viron generation ü Generation of stable cell lines expressing exogenous genes Bacterial Unit ü 16S rDNA bacterial flora analysis ü Bacterial characterization and cryopreservation ü Provision of bacterial genes and proteins
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Core II
CELL AND MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY CORE
Director: Robin G. Lorenz, M.D., Ph.D. Co-Director: Lesley E. Smythies, Ph.D. Co-Director: Jiri Mestecky, M.D., Ph.D.
Services:
Structure Characterization Unit ü Lymphocyte isolation training ü Flow cytometry training Structure Interaction Unit ü Tissue processing ü Paraffin embedding ü Frozen and paraffin sections ü H&E staining ü Special staining ü Consultation and training in immunofluorescence techniques ü Fluorescent microscope Primary Cell Unit ü Provision of human primary mucosal cells
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Core III
GNOTOBIOTIC AND GENETICALLY ENGINEERED MOUSE CORE
Director: Casey T. Weaver, M.D. Co-Director: Trenton R. Schoeb, D.V.M., Ph.D. Co-Director: Xiaoyun Wu, M.D.
Services:
Genetically-Engineered Unit ü Marker-assisted genotyping ü Genetically-engineered mouse strains Lentiviral Vector Transgenic Unit ü CD4+CCR5+ transgenic mouse Gnotobiotic Unit ü Germ-free foster parents ü Cesarean derivation ü Defined enteric flora mice ü Training in gnotobiotic techniques ü Pathological evaluation of murine tissues
Gnotobiotic Unit of Core III. |
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THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM |
