Retrovirology: Laboratory Resources

The laboratories occupy a floor space of approximately 182 square meters and employs 9 laboratory technologists (masters and bachelors level) and 1 PhD scientist under the direction of Dr. Mark de Souza. The laboratories perform clinical assays including immunophenotyping, HIV viral load assays (Roche and Bayer), HIV serology, and cellular and humoral immunogenicity assays in support of prophylactic HIV vaccine trials.

College of American Pathologists (CAP) Certified

The Department is registered with the NIH AIDS Research and Reference Reagent Program and was recently accredited (with distinction) by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) for its diagnostic laboratories. HIV isolation, propagation and neutralization/inhibition assays are carried out in a BSL II facility using BSL III practices (BSL II+).

This laboratory has been in operation for 6 years, and currently has a repository of over 150 CRF01_AE isolates. Specimen processing for HIV isolation is conducted in a separate facility at the AFRIMS site. HIV isolation, propagation, genotyping and phenotyping are conducted in accordance with protocols established by the US NIAID's Division of AIDS (DAIDS) using peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived from Thai HIV and hepatitis B and C seronegative blood donors for co-culture.

Retrovirology:
          - HIV diagnostics and disease monitoring - serology and nucleic acid testing. CD4 enumeration and viral load assays.
          - HIV isolation, phenotyping and genetic subtyping for subtypes CRF01_AE and B
          - HIV serotyping - CRF01_AE and B
          - HIV cellular immunologic responses - antigen-specific lymphoproliferation, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte and natural killer cell assays
          - HIV humoral immunologic responses - neutralization and antibody-dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity assays