AIDS and Oral Manifestations of Immunosuppression Program
Division of Basic and Translational Sciences
We are seeking Concept Clearance for a Request for Applications (RFA) that will encourage research studies leading to the development and validation of physiologically relevant in vitro human models of the oral mucosa for the study of, HIV infection and the oral complications associated with AIDS under highly controlled conditions. Such models will establish a basis for exploring diagnostic, therapeutic and prevention strategies for HIV infections, concurrent viral infections and AIDS associated complications.
Recent advances in tissue engineering and molecular and cellular biology have elucidated methodologies to construct tissues using carefully designed scaffolds on which cells can proliferate and differentiate. These tissues can be manipulated to express phenotypic surface markers and to produce immune modulatory cytokines. The challenge will be to develop a system that will be comprised of not only mucosal epithelial cells but also other cellular elements such as stem cells, lymphocytes, dendritic cells, macrophages, fibroblasts, as well as appropriate extracellular matrix proteins .
We anticipate that investigators will capitalize on new findings in scaffold development, cell biology of the oral mucosa, genomics, proteomics, bioimaging and real time analysis of gene expression.