The ACTG NL consists of Core Laboratory groups in immunology, pharmacology, virology and TB. Each Core Laboratory Group is comprised of several Specialty Laboratories that provide a broad range of assays and services required to conduct the scientific agenda of the ACTG and to complement laboratory services, and where appropriate, with that of other DAIDS-sponsored HIV/AIDS clinical trials networks.
The specimen repositories are a collaboration between the ACTG and IMPAACT clinical trial networks to make the large body of specimens collected for HIV research available to investigators.
The specimens stored at the repositories were initially collected for specific studies that have concluded, and are now available to investigators conducting new research.
The International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) Early Career Investigator Mentored Research program aims to support the development of early career investigators to enter the field of maternal/child HIV research and advance the mission of the IMPAACT Network. In coordination with mentors, early career investigators are invited to propose a project that takes advantage of data and/or samples generated by the IMPAACT Network.
Successful applicants will be funded for 24 months, subject to certain restrictions.
The main purpose of the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) Laboratory Center is to support the network’s scientific agenda by providing state of the art laboratory testing in support of clinical trials, new works concept sheets (NWCS), and data analysis concept sheets (DACS); designing and evaluating new assays to elucidate pathogenesis; and providing scientific support to the network.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Tetramer Core Facility (TCF) at Emory University was established in 1999 for the production and distribution to the research community of major histocompatibility complex tetramers and related reagents for the detection of T cell responses to viruses, bacteria, parasites, tumors, auto-antigens, and other model antigens.
The HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) offers two scholarship programs for early-career investigators funded through a supplement from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The HPTN Scholars Program now includes two components: a domestic (U.S.) program and an international program.
This contract program supports the development and refinement of animal models and animal replacement technologies and provides in vivo and complex human cell-based in vitro model preclinical testing services, ranging from screening and proof-of-concept to GLP efficacy studies.
View all research conducted at the Vaccine Research Center (VRC)
The Translational Research Program (TRP) serves three major functions at the VRC: 1) provides centralized support and service for all in vivo research conducted at the VRC; 2) conducts collaborative research and animal model development; and 3) operates a fully accredited lab animal facility.
TRP provides all aspects of oversight and programmatic assistance to support teaching, training, and in vivo research for the VRC by managing all preclinical safety and regulatory issues, ensuring judicious and humane use of animals in compliance with all institutional, local, state, and federal guidelines. It is the VRC’s primary resource for consultation, collaboration, and professional assistance in selecting appropriate animal models or establishing novel models to study disease and vaccine effects.
TRP pursues independent and collaborative research projects related to animal model and preclinical product development for HIV, influenza, emerging infectious diseases such as alphaviruses, and other biodefense-focused diseases. TRP conducts translational research to advance vaccine products from preclinical stages toward human clinical trials by actively monitoring and overseeing efficacy, safety, and toxicology studies in preparation for regulatory oversight of product development. TRP also investigates novel vaccine delivery methods to enhance efficiency, vaccine efficacy, and safety.
TRP serves as a fully accredited Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) in-house animal facility, adhering to all federal regulations. The facility provides quality animal husbandry services, veterinary care, and facility management support for rodents. The facility offers preventive medical care, routine surveillance, and quality assurance for vendor- and colony-produced animals and may also establish and maintain its own mouse breeding colonies if necessary. A variety of technical services are performed by facility staff, including parenteral injections or oral administration of Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC)-approved experimental materials; blood, tissue, and serum collection; surgical manipulations; animal identification procedures; electroporation procedures; anesthesia/analgesic administration; and other procedures as needed. The veterinary care unit also offers training for those who wish to perform these procedures themselves. For VRC studies conducted at other facilities, TRP establishes contractual agreements and coordination between investigators and these facilities. Within the in-house facility and contracted facilities, TRP ensures high-quality research in accordance with regulatory guidelines and biosafety level requirements.
Dr. Ruth Woodward received her DVM from the Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 1991 and has served the field of laboratory animal medicine for 30 years. Her expertise is in nonhuman primate research model development, research support, procedure refinement, and clinical veterinary medicine. She was stationed at the NIH Animal Center Nonhuman Primate Quarantine Facility during her term with the US Public Health Service from 1991-1996. She then transitioned to a private sector position as Director of the Nonhuman Primate Retrovirology Research Program at Advanced BioScience Laboratories, Inc. In this capacity, she supported numerous retrovirology research projects for both NIAID and NCI. In 2001, Dr. Woodward returned to the NIH to head the NIH Animal Center Shared Facility and oversee the NICHD nonhuman primate research program. Here, she contributed her extensive veterinary expertise and collaborated on developmental, behavioral, and infectious disease research projects conducted by NICHD, NIMH, NCI, and NIAID. Dr. Woodward has been the Chief, Translational Research Program and Animal Program Director at the VRC since 2020.
Gozalo AS, Elkins WR, Lambert LE, Stock F, Thomas ML, Woodward RA. Genetic diversity of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates during an outbreak in a nonhuman primate research colony. J Med Primatol. 2016;45(6):213-317.
Liu Y, Shim Park E, Gibbons AT, Shide ED, Divi RL, Woodward RA, Poirier MC. Mitochondrial compromise in 3-year old patas monkeys exposed in utero to human-equivalent antiretroviral therapies. Environ Mol Mutagen. 2016;57(7):526-34.
Vinton C, Klatt NR, Harris LD, Briant JA, Sanders-Beer BE, Herbert R, Woodward R, Silvestri G, Pandrea I, Apetrei C, Hirsch VM, Brenchley JM. CD4-like immunological function by CD4-T cells in multiple natural hosts of simian immunodeficiency virus. J Virol. 2011;85(17):8702-8.
Zhao J, Lou Y, Pinczewski J, Malkevitch N, Alrich K, Kalyanaraman V, Peng B, Petterson LJ, Mattapallil J, Roederer M, Edghill-Smith Y, Woodward R, Pavlakis G, Robert-Guroff M. Boosting of SIV-Specific Cellular Immune Responses in Rhesus Macaques by Repeated Administration of Ad5hr-SIV env/rev and –SIVgag Recombinants. Vaccine. 2003 Sept 8;21(25-26):4022-35.
Edghill-Smith Y, Aldrich K, Johnson M, Heylinger A, Perrin RP, Woodward R, Robert-Guroff M. Effects of Intestinal Survival Surgery on Systemic and Mucosal Immune Responses in SIV-infected Rhesus Macaques. Journal Medical Primatology. 2002; 31:313-322.
Hel A, Poudyal M, Tsai W, Guiliani L, Woodward R, Chougnet C, Shearer G, Altman J, Watkins D, Bischofberger N, Abimiku A, Markham P, Tartaglia J, Franchini G. Viremia control following antiretroviral treatment and therapeutic immunization during primary SIV251 infection of macaques. Nat Med. 2000;6:1140-1146.
The Translational Research Program (TRP) provides a comprehensive program of animal care and use for all in vivo research conducted at the VRC and conducts collaborative research and animal model development.
The VRC TRP provides all aspects of oversight and programmatic assistance to support teaching, training, and in vivo research for the VRC by managing all preclinical safety and regulatory issues, ensuring judicious and humane use of animals in compliance with all institutional, local, state, and federal guidelines. It is the VRC’s primary resource for consultation, collaboration, and professional assistance in selecting appropriate animal models or establishing novel models to study disease and vaccine effects.
The TRP pursues independent and collaborative research projects related to animal model and preclinical product development for HIV, influenza, emerging infectious diseases such as alphaviruses, and other biodefense-focused diseases. The TRP conducts translational research to advance vaccine and antibody products from preclinical stages toward human clinical trials by actively monitoring and overseeing efficacy, safety, and toxicology studies in preparation for regulatory oversight of product development. The TRP also investigates novel vaccine delivery methods to enhance efficiency, vaccine efficacy, and safety.
The TRP also operates a fully accredited Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) in-house animal facility, adhering to all federal regulations. The facility provides quality animal husbandry services, veterinary care, research support and facility management support for rodents. The facility offers preventive medical care, routine surveillance, and quality assurance for vendor- and colony-produced animals. A variety of technical services are performed by facility staff in support of VRC research studies. The veterinary care unit also offers training for those who wish to perform these procedures themselves. For VRC studies conducted at other facilities, the TRP establishes contractual agreements and coordination between investigators and these facilities. Within the in-house facility and contracted facilities, the TRP ensures high-quality research in accordance with regulatory guidelines and biosafety level requirements.
Gozalo AS, Elkins WR, Lambert LE, Stock F, Thomas ML, Woodward RA. Genetic diversity of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates during an outbreak in a nonhuman primate research colony. J Med Primatol. 2016;45(6):213-317.
Liu Y, Shim Park E, Gibbons AT, Shide ED, Divi RL, Woodward RA, Poirier MC. Mitochondrial compromise in 3-year old patas monkeys exposed in utero to human-equivalent antiretroviral therapies. Environ Mol Mutagen. 2016;57(7):526-34.
Vinton C, Klatt NR, Harris LD, Briant JA, Sanders-Beer BE, Herbert R, Woodward R, Silvestri G, Pandrea I, Apetrei C, Hirsch VM, Brenchley JM. CD4-like immunological function by CD4-T cells in multiple natural hosts of simian immunodeficiency virus. J Virol. 2011;85(17):8702-8.
Zhao J, Lou Y, Pinczewski J, Malkevitch N, Alrich K, Kalyanaraman V, Peng B, Petterson LJ, Mattapallil J, Roederer M, Edghill-Smith Y, Woodward R, Pavlakis G, Robert-Guroff M. Boosting of SIV-Specific Cellular Immune Responses in Rhesus Macaques by Repeated Administration of Ad5hr-SIV env/rev and –SIVgag Recombinants. Vaccine. 2003 Sept 8;21(25-26):4022-35.
Edghill-Smith Y, Aldrich K, Johnson M, Heylinger A, Perrin RP, Woodward R, Robert-Guroff M. Effects of Intestinal Survival Surgery on Systemic and Mucosal Immune Responses in SIV-infected Rhesus Macaques. Journal Medical Primatology. 2002; 31:313-322.
Hel A, Poudyal M, Tsai W, Guiliani L, Woodward R, Chougnet C, Shearer G, Altman J, Watkins D, Bischofberger N, Abimiku A, Markham P, Tartaglia J, Franchini G. Viremia control following antiretroviral treatment and therapeutic immunization during primary SIV251 infection of macaques. Nat Med. 2000;6:1140-1146.
View all research conducted at the Vaccine Research Center (VRC)