[AMCB Roster]

AIDS Molecular and Cellular Biology [AMCB] Study Section reviews applications focused on the molecular, structural, and cellular biology of HIV and related lentiviruses/retroviruses. These areas of research encompass studies of the biochemistry and genetics of HIV and viral infection, replication, and regulation. This Study Section also reviews applications related to viral aspects of pathogenesis, non-immune host responses and factors, and identification of viral/host targets for gene-based and other therapeutics and diagnostics.

Specific areas covered by AMCB:

• Molecular biology, cell biology, and virology of HIV and related lentiviruses
• Molecular basis of lentiviral pathogenicity
• Biochemistry of HIV and related lentiviruses
• Regulation of viral and cellular biochemical processes, including tissue-specific effects of HIV
• Role of host gene products in virus infection and replication
• Variation in host factors and impact on virus infection and replication
• Mechanism of action and structure-function studies of viral and gene products 
• In vitro and in vivo activity of viral gene and gene products in different cell types
• Genetics of HIV and related viruses
• Mechanisms of host resistance, with emphasis on non-immune mechanisms
• Mechanisms and regulation of viral replication
• Molecular biology of gene therapy and ribozymes
• Molecular and cellular biology of the impact of
  cofactors on viral pathogenesis
• Design and development of new molecular-based diagnostics and assays
• Basic virology of animal models, including non-primate lentivirus system

AMCB has the following shared interests within the AARR IRG:

• Applications with emphasis on virology are reviewed in AMCB; those with emphasis on the host and host response to the virus are reviewed in AIP.
  
  
• Applications using animal models to study the growth of the virus are reviewed in AMCB; those with emphasis on the host response are reviewed in AIP.
  
  
• Studies of host factors for viral growth and how these can be co-factors for resistance or enhancement of infection or disease progression are reviewed in AMCB, whereas studies of immune-based factors are reviewed in AIP.
  
  
• For viral genes and gene products, AMCB reviews mechanisms of action, regulation, and means of interaction with host factors, whereas ADDT reviews applications that use this information for assays and screens in therapeutics discovery.
  
  
• AMCB reviews the regulation of viral and cellular biochemical processes in general, while grants dealing with CNS-specific aspects of viral regulation are reviewed by NAED.