HIV Pathogenesis Programme

This collaborative programme was initially funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, but now attracts funding from various other international and local funding agencies.

This laboratory is spread out between the 1st and 2nd floors of the DDMRI. It serves as both a facility for exploratory pathogenesis and translational research into HIV and TB, as well as a sample repository for all HPP’s study samples. The laboratory has capabilities to do viral loads, CD4+ T cell counts, diagnostic, polymerase chain reaction assays, processing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), advanced flow cytometry, tissue culture, gene expression assays and recombinant DNA technology procedures. The laboratory has access to a Sanger sequencing facility.

Exploratory research capacity includes PBMC isolation, freezing and storage from whole blood, cord blood and leukapheresis samples, genital mucosal sample processing and storage, lymph node excision, processing and storage, DNA isolation, western blotting, amplification, cloning, qualitative and quantitative PCR, sequencing, fluorescent microscopy, luminescence, ELISA, ELISpot, polychromatic flow cytometry and high- and low-resolution genetic testing of select genes. The laboratory has a partnership with Neuberg Global, a large clinical and accredited laboratory, to perform high volume viral load and CD4+ T cell count testing, with overnight turnaround times for these assays.