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Research Areas

The research program can be divided easily into two basic areas: immune dysregulation caused by infectious diseases and immune dysfunction caused by inflammation. In the former, the main focus will be on HIV disease and influenza. In the latter, the emphasis will be on atherosclerosis, inflammatory bowel diseases and multiple sclerosis; however, other autoimmune diseases can be studied depending on the level of funding.

Influenza
HIV/AIDS

Immunomodulation and Influenza Infection

(Extracted from an unpublished paper written in 2005 by Dr. Travis at the height of the Bird Flu scare. Click Immunomodulation and Influenza A to read the entire paper.)

The immune system provides a necessary response to infectious agents but is not always successful in eliminating the threat posed by such organisms. Although some viruses are directly cytopathic and cause cell injury or death, others cause cytokine dysregulation resulting in overwhelming inflammatory processes, which can be more destructive than the virus itself and lead to death. Such is the case with the Influenza A (H5N1) virus, a purely avian influenza virus, which was introduced into the human population of Hong Kong in 1997, causing a case-fatality rate of 33 percent, primarily due to pneumonia resulting from cytokine dysregulation [1], [2].

The close link between immune activation and HIV-1 replication suggests that efforts should be made to protect the patients from exogenous stimuli (inter-current infections, antigen exposure) to maintain the immune system of HIV-1 infected individuals in as quiescent a state as possible.

Wahl SM, Orenstein JM Immune Stimulation and HIV-1 Viral Replication J Leukoc Biol. 1997 Jul;62(1):67-71. Review.

In essence, HIV has learned to overcome the immune system by taking advantage of it. Each response simply provides more targets for the virus to attach to and the means for it to replicate within the very cells that should protect the body from disease. Even when blood levels of the virus are undetectable after treatment with triple drug therapy (HAART), the virus still remains in reservoirs within the immune system, escaping surveillance until they receive activation signals. Whatever the trigger may be, immune activation sets off a new round of viral replication and further immune response. This continues until eventually the immune system is exhausted, leading to the terminal phase of the disease, AIDS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.