SNPRC plays a critical role in studying select agents and emerging pathogens thanks to our expertise in primates and maximum biocontainment. Our Infectious Diseases Immunology & Control Unit includes an extensive research portfolio on AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis, emerging viral and microbial diseases and biodefense threats, vaccine development and immunology.

infectious-diseasesWe facilitate and advise collaborative investigators, affiliate scientists and outside scientists to develop and implement nonhuman primate (NHP) studies that involve infectious diseases. We also provide expertise in primate models of infectious disease including immunological and molecular tools, reagents and technologies required for characterizing infectious diseases in nonhuman primates.

Our work enhances nonhuman primate model use in infectious diseases through characterizing primate colonies and their use in various infectious disease models.

We also provide training for the next generation of investigators using nonhuman primates in infectious disease, including undergraduate volunteers, summer interns, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and young investigators.

Our research programs are dedicated to understanding basic molecular, immunological and pathogenic aspects of human and animal viruses, as well as the agents of specific bacterial diseases, such as tuberculosis and pertussis. We’re also working on a broad range of viral diseases including retroviruses (HIV/SIV), hepatitis viruses (HBV, HCV, GBV-B), arenaviruses (lassa fever virus), filoviruses (Ebola and Marburgh viruses), flaviviruses (Zika), Dengue virus and herpes viruses.

The Infectious Disease Unit works with the Immunology Laboratory Core Services to provide support for contract and internal scientific studies.

Core Scientists:

Personnel SNPRC Role
Larry Schlesinger, MD Principal Investigator
Deepak Kaushal, PhD Director
Mahesh Mohan, DVM PhD

 

IDIC Lead

Core Scientist

Marie-Claire Gauduin, PhD IDIC Co-Lead

Core Scientist

Binhua “Julie” Ling, MD PhD Core Scientist
Luis Giavedoni, PhD Immunology Core Leader
Jean Patterson, PhD Affiliate Scientist
Ricardo Carrion, PhD Affiliate Scientist
Christopher Chen, PhD Assistant Director for Research Support
Xavier Alvarez, PhD Core Scientist
Shashank Ganatra, PhD Core Scientist
Rajesh Thippeshappa Core Scientist
Tae-Hyung Lee, PhD Biology Core Manager
Vida Hodara, PhD Immunology Core Manager
Sidath C Kumarapperuma, Ph.D. Core Scientist