Mentor Areas
Dr. Bar and her team study the basic mechanisms of transmission, pathogenesis and persistence in HIV, Hepatitis C, and other chronic viral infections. The lab’s work has implications for the development of vaccines, therapeutics and curative strategies. The lab is currently focused on understanding the primary barrier to HIV cure: the viruses that persist while HIV+ individuals are on antiretroviral therapy, and how these virus populations are changed by curative strategies. Current projects include:
1. The immune and viral dynamics of rebound viremia upon antiretroviral treatment interruption, both in the presence and absence of treatment and curative strategies
2. Comparative properties of the viruses sampled during antiretroviral therapy (reservoir viruses) and those that reactivate after interruption of antiretroviral therapy (rebound viruses)
3. Development and assessment of viruses for the nonhuman primate model of HIV infection
4. The genetic signatures of Herpes Simplex Virus immune escape from vaccine pressure
Description:
Our lab is characterizing the viruses that rebound from latency upon interruption of antiretroviral drugs and the relevant immune pressures at play under several conditions: at baseline, with broadly neutralizing antibodies, and other therapeutics and immune modulators. This work with help elucidate barriers to HIV cure and the efficacy of new HIV cure and treatment strategies that are just now entering clinical trials in humans. Techniques used include PCR, cloning and cell based assays.
Preferred Qualifications
Students should have familiarity with basic molecular biology and interest in HIV.
Details:
Preferred Student Year
Second-Year, Junior, Senior
Academic Term
Fall, Spring, Summer
I prefer to have students start during the above term(s).Volunteer
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to volunteers.Paid
No
Yes indicates that faculty are open to paying students they engage in their research, regardless of their work-study eligibility.Work Study
No
Yes indicates that faculty are open to hiring work-study-eligible students.