Scientific Working Group on HIV Replication and Host Factors

The objective of this Scientific Working Group is to investigate events in the HIV replication cycle and roles of different host proteins.  The group aims to identify new questions that can be addressed by integrating the research and the multidisciplinary approaches of its members’ labs. Our aspiration is to direct the research of group members towards the identification of new targets for HIV intervention. New drugs and novel intervention strategies must be discovered to maintain effective therapy and combat drug resistance in developing countries. 

Leadership

Heinrich Göttlinger, PhD is at the forefront of the field in virus budding, studying the role of ESCRT proteins and unbiquitin ligases.  He has more than 20 publications since 2006 in high profile journals, and is supported by NIH R01 and R37 merit awards. 

Paul Clapham, PhD assists Dr. Gottlinger in leading this Scientific Working Group.  Dr. Clapham is a leading researcher in HIV-1 envelope tropism, receptors and neutralization.   He has published 24 papers since his recruitment to UMass Chan in 2001, and is supported by NIH R01 and P01 project awards.

We have also engaged new investigators Dan Bolon, Michael Brehm, and other UMass Chan scientists to expand our member scientists' access to multidisciplinary approaches and to develop collaborative projects that exploit the university’s strengths such as RNAi, signaling, gene therapy, and vaccines.  This newly established CFAR Scientific Working Group thus brings together researchers who are internationally recognized, extensively funded and studying diverse aspects of HIV replication and pathogenesis.