The objective is to perform and report on human FV Challenge studies in NHP cohorts using an IM injection of approximately 1000 pfu/animal USG-designated, well-characterized human Filoviruses.

Metabolic disorders including obesity, dyslipidemia and diabetes appear to be associated with monocyte dysfunction, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying monocyte dysfunction in vivo are only poorly understood. Our recent studies showed that metabolic stress promotes the dysregulation and hyper-activation of monocyte responses to chemokines and that monocyte dysfunction is a critical and rate-limiting step in the development and progression of atherosclerosis.

Artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) is the main treatment for Plasmodium falciparum malaria: the success of this treatment has rolled back malaria and renewed interest in malaria elimination. Slow clearance of parasites following ACT treatment of patients in SE Asia has lead to concern about the spread of resistance. This proposal aims to identify the genes that underlie slow clearance to better understand the evolution and biochemical basis of his trait.

Schistosomes are the most important of the helminth parasites that infect humans. Larval stages infect aquatic snails, so the transmission cycle can be broken by interfering with this stage in the parasite lifecycle. We will use genetic crosses of schistosomes in the laboratory to identify the parasite genes that underlie recognition of snail vectors and development of parasites within host snails.

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn the most effective way to give patients a vaccine in order for the immune system to react against folate binding protein (FBP) and FBP-containing cancers. The E39 and J65 peptide (a piece of a protein) vaccines are designed to cause the immune system to attack certain cancer cells (those with FBP), which may help lower the risk that the cancer will come back.

Bacterial infection is a frequent complication among trauma and surgical patients, both civilian and military.  The rate of infectious complications in the U. S. military is approximately 35 percent for combat casualties.  The lack of a rapid diagnostic platform for the detection of bacterial and fungal infections in combat wounds result in mortality and extended stays in Intensive Care Units. The methods currently available are time consuming, lack sensitivity, require specialized equipment, and highly trained personnel.

The rapid evolution of sophisticated data-intensive technologies has created a growing need for well-trained informatics scientists and computational biologists particularly in the field of cancer research. An inter-institutional effor to support state-of-the art training in computational biology and bioinformatics in San Antonio has assembled an experienced group of faculty in order to develop a unique educational training program in bioinformatics and computational biology with an emphasis on the needs of the cancer research community.