Mullins, James

The Mullins lab uses the techniques of molecular, computational and virus biology to provide basic insights into the HIV-human host relationship in an effort to assist the fight to stop the AIDS pandemic. They use a variety of techniques to understand the implications of HIV's extraordinary genetic diversity for the pathogenesis of AIDS, with the intention of applying this information to the development of more effective therapies and vaccines. These techniques include virology, molecular biological and statistical analysis of nucleotide sequences. Current projects include: studies of adaptations of the virus and cellular immune responses during early infection; events leading to loss of virological control after prolonged periods of asymptomatic infection; identification of reservoirs of continuing virus production during antiretroviral drug suppression; host gene expression associated with resistance to HIV infection; and tests of the concept of using conserved elements of the viral proteome as prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines.