Translational Research Subcore

TRS provides a specimen collection service for IRB-approved investigators who lack the funds or infrastructure needed to procure the clinical specimens necessary for their research. Qualified people living with HIV (PLWH) and HIV-negative individuals can be identified via data queries.

Our current list of IRB approved specimen collection protocols is as follows:

• Blood (whole, plasma, serum, PBMCs, dried spots)
• GI biopsies
• Cervical lavage fluid
• Urine
• Semen

If you are requesting help from the TRS staff in obtaining specimens for your research, please complete a Request for UW HIV Information System (UWHIS) Data, Specimens and Referral Services and submit, along with your CV and documentation of IRB approval (including a copy of the IRB submission & consent) to Jordan Graff, CFAR TRS Program Manager, at jggraff@uw.edu. Your request will be reviewed by TRS staff who will notify you of their ability to accommodate your request.

The HIV Negative Registry is a registry of HIV-negative individuals who are interested in participating in HIV-related research and serving as controls when indicated. Clinical and behavioral data are collected at paid baseline and annual follow-up visits. Enrolled patients are requested to voluntarily provide a 10mL blood sample and complete a survey covering the following topics: social and demographic, drug history, and sexual history. The collected de-identified 10mL blood sample will be tested for HIV to determine patient’s continuing study eligibility. Investigators can use this resource for recruitment of HIV-negative research subjects.

For additional information about this service or to request participants for your study, please contact TRS by emailing Program Manager Jordan Graff at jggraff@uw.edu. Your request will be reviewed by TRS staff and will notify you of our ability to accommodate your request.

We support screening and recruitment of eligible people living with HIV (PLWH) into clinical and pathogenesis research studies via a dedicated research nurse.

This service is available to investigators to increase enrollment of PLWH into research studies. Lindsay Legg, the HIV research coordinator, is effective at increasing enrollment in HIV studies. Ms. Legg reviews the records of UW HIV patients visiting the HMC Madison Clinic and refers those who qualify to the appropriate research coordinator for enrollment.

To access this service, please complete a Request for UW HIV Information System (UWHIS) Data, Specimens and Referral Services form and choose ‘HIV Research Study Screening and Referral Nurse Service (to identify and recruit potential research subjects for your study)’ under request type. If you have any questions please email Jordan Graff, CFAR TRS Program Manager, at jggraff@uw.edu.

The HIV Specimen Repository is a collection of frozen plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) specimens donated by people living with HIV (PLWH) cared for at the University of Washington HIV clinics (the Madison and Roosevelt Virology Clinics).

Participating patients are asked to voluntarily donate up to 34 mL of blood annually. Blood is separated into plasma and PBMC fractions and frozen in aliquots of 1.5 mL (plasma) or 5 million cells (PBMC) and stored at the Harborview Retrovirology Laboratory.

Coded clinical data extracted from the patients’ electronic medical record is linked to these repository specimens, enabling translational studies on the virologic, immunologic, genetic and demographic determinants of HIV disease and associated comorbidities.

In addition, a repository of more than 120,000, primarily blood-derived specimens are available from the Seattle Primary Infection Cohort (PIC). The PIC repository has specimens from individuals enrolled into longitudinal study while in primary or early HIV transmission.

Click here to find more information on subject – imposed restrictions on the registry.

Repository Subjects Profile and Specimen Collection

Any person who is cared for at the University of Washington HIV Clinics may join the Repository. We are particularly interested in recruiting people with the following clinical characteristics:

Newly diagnosed with HIV, defined as individuals who have contracted HIV within 1 year of enrollment.
PLWH who are antiretroviral-naïve (i.e., have never taken HIV medication).
If you are interested in using specimens in the Repository, please fill out a Request for UW HIV Information System (UWHIS) Data, Specimens and Referral Services form. Please contact the repository manager, Jordan Graff, by phone (206-744-4630) or email (jggraff@uw.edu) if you have any questions regarding the repository request process. Your request will be reviewed by the HIV Specimen Repository Steering Committee, and if your request is approved, we will make the appropriate arrangements to have the specimens and clinical data sent to you.

If you are interested in specimens from patients with acute HIV infection, specimens can be accessed from Seattle Primary Infection Clinic Repository available through the Retrovirology and Clinical Cohort and Comorbidity Research Core.

Download Repository Fee Calculator (Prices valid through June 30, 2023)

TRS staff assist HIV/AIDS clinical studies with study design, feasibility, community engagement, and quality assurance. We partner with CFAR researchers to develop novel laboratory methods for determining viral loads in various compartments and correlating these HIV markers with clinical outcomes.