Request for Funding

Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2002

Mentor: Donald L. Sodora
Department: Internal Medicine
Room number: Y9.206
Mail Code: 9113
Phone number: 8-2438
E-mail: Donald.Sodora@UTSouthwestern.edu
Project title: Identification of SIV specific T cells

Animal subjects IRB approved project number: 0824-01-04-1

Project Type Basic Research Immunology/Virology

Brief Description of Project:
The SIV/macaque model is being utilized as an animal model for the HIV vaccine development. Our laboratory is interested in assessing the ability of vaccines to elicit SIV specific T cells utilizing the intracellular cytokine assay (ICA). Using this assay, activated T cells are distinguished by the production of the cytokines TNF-alpha or interferon-gamma. We can determine which are SIV specific using overlapping 15-mer peptides which encompass all of the SIV proteins. Upon exposure to peptides, the T cells which are activated can be identified by flow cytometry for their ability to produce cytokines and coexpression of the activation marker CD69. This assay can be used in SIV vaccinated macaques to determine: 1. Which SIV peptides are recognized by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells; and 2. The quantity of T cells which recognize a specific SIV peptide or pool of peptides. The medical student joining the laboratory for the summer will be exposed to immunological and molecular biology techniques while undertaking this project.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

Ashoke Sathy
Fong Lam

L. Montgomery, B. K. Patterson, A. Claghorn, Z. Peerwani, A. Sathy, J. Oh, P. A. Luciw, M. Marthas, R. A. Koup and D. L. Sodora. Assessment of the Enhanced Green Fluorescence Protein within a Recombinant Simian Immunodeficiency Virus following Oral Inoculation of Rhesus Macaques. Submitted for publication.

Return to UT Southwestern Homepage

Return to Student Research Projects Index