The LSU-Tulane Center in Experimental Infectious Disease Research (CEIDR)

The Louisiana Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) in Experimental Infectious Disease Research (CEIDR) was established at the Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine (LSU-SVM) through funding obtained from NIH:NCRR. This Center is the focal point of university-wide efforts for the development of nationally competitive scientists in immunity and pathogenesis of infectious diseases. This Center is a strategic alliance between the LSU-SVM, the LSU College of Basic Sciences (CBS) and the Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC) located in Covington, LA. The COBRE is administered by Dr. K. G. Kousoulas (Principal Investigator, LSU). The initial phase of the proposed program encompasses five integrated research projects under the overall umbrella of molecular and immunological aspects of viral infections. Subsequent phases of the Center will include additional projects and investigators working on bacterial and parasitic organisms as well as virology. Hallmarks of the proposed program include senior faculty mentoring junior faculty as co-investigators as well as multidisciplinary mentoring and external advisory committees ensuring success of the overall program. The selected junior investigators (SJIs) are tenure track assistant professors. The individual projects involve molecular virological as well as pathogenetic and immunological aspects of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV), mouse retrovirus, measles virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Experimental approaches range from basic virological studies in cell culture to direct experimentation in mice and rhesus macaques to delineate pathogenetic profiles and immune responses of viral infections. The five research projects are supported by two core laboratories. A Molecular Biology/Immunology Core (MBCL) is situated at the LSU-SVM and provides molecular biological expertise including real-time PCR and microarray processing, analysis and bioinformatics. In addition, this Core assists individual investigators in the implementation of molecular/immunological assays. A Non-Human Primate Laboratory Core (NHPCL) is housed at the TNPRC and provides expertise in animal related research needs as well as in the characterization of immunological parameters of immunized nonhuman primates. A local mentoring committee consists of senior scientists with expertise in virology an immunobiology. An external advisory committee consists of five out-of-state internationally recognized expert scientists in infectious diseases. Future development of the Center will be achieved through the addition of 3-5 new investigators recruited from the participating institutions.

Last Updated Tuesday, May 27 2008 @ 03:35 PM CDT|45,275 Hits