The Immunology Virology Quality Assessment Center (IVQAC), led by Thomas Denny MSc, MPhil, is a resource designed to help domestic and international immunologists evaluate and enhance the integrity and comparability of immunological laboratory determinations performed on patients enrolled in multi-site HIV/AIDS therapeutic, vaccine and prevention investigations. The IVQAC has multiple focuses including directing the External Quality Assurance Program Oversight Laboratory (EQAPOL), the Immune Quality Assessment (IQA) program, the Non-Human Primate Core Virology Laboratory (NHPCVL) and the Virology Quality Assurance Program (VQA).
Additionally, the IVQAC has an international unit that focuses on developing new alternative approaches to measuring CD4 cell levels in resource-limited areas. This unit also focuses on developing QC/QA programs for clinical trials and capacity building for developing laboratories or staff in resource-limited areas. The IVQAC offers both the Clinical Flow Cytometry Shared Resource and the Non-human Primate Viral Load Testing Shared Resource to DHVI investigators and the Duke community.
