Research Programs at RBL

CETR – Center of Excellence in Translational Research (Immunology & Influenza Virology Core)

Role and Mitigation of Inflammasomes and Inflammation During COVID-19

Duke PI:  M. Blasi (NIH 5R01AI158314)

The purpose of this UNC-based R01 (J. Ting) is to understand the role of the inflammasome complex during COVID-19 induced Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). For this project the Duke RBL provides BSL3 containment lab space with all associated safety SOP development, lab assay and safety protocol training, and regulatory oversight to members of this R01 research team. The RBL also provides challenge-quality virus isolates for in vitro and small animal studies, as well as support for a variety of assays including oral swab viral titers, multiplex cytokine expression and lung viral load in infected animals.

Micro-Particle Delivery of a Potent Intracellular Adjuvant for a Universal Flu Vaccine

Duke PI:  M. Blasi (NIH 5R01AI141333)

The purpose of this UNC-based R01 (J. Ting) is to produce a universal influenza vaccine using a new micro-particle-adjuvant combination that generates dramatic dose-sparing and robust immune enhancement effects. The overall goal of the Immunology/Influenza Virology Core based on the Duke RBL is to provide comprehensive and centralized biomarker and influenza host response monitoring to enhance product development activities of the R01 investigators. Specifically, the Duke RBL provides multiplex cytokine/chemokine profiling, high-throughput humoral response monitoring, comprehensive influenza virology support and small animal model support (mice/ferrets).

Duke CIVICs Vaccine Center

PI: A. Moody (NIH 75N93019C00050)

The Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Centers (CIVICs) program aims to improve the durability of seasonal influenza vaccines and develop a universal influenza vaccine through iterative vaccine design, pre-clinical animal studies, and early phase clinical trials. The RBL provides DCVC with centralized virology assay support, animal models of influenza infection, multiplex cytokine/chemokine assays, antigen binding breadth panels, and BSL3 biocontainment facilities.

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Efficacy of Immunization with 4C-MenB in Preventing Experimental Urethral Infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Duke PI: A. Macintyre (NIH U01-AI162457)

As part of a project run by A. Duncan at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, the RBL is providing humoral and cellular immune monitoring support to determine if people immunized with a meningococcal Type B (4CMenB) vaccine are protected against Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection.

Design and Development of a Pan-betacoronavirus Vaccine: Biocontainment and Immune Monitoring Core

PI: B.F. Haynes (NIH P01-AI158571)

The goal of this research program is to develop vaccines that provide protection from multiple types of coronaviruses and viral variants including SARS-CoV2 and other viruses of pandemic potential. The RBL supports the program by providing virology assay support, animal models, immune monitoring, and BSL3 biocontainment facilities.

Proteomics-Driven Reverse Vaccinology for Gonorrhea

Duke PI: A. Macintyre (NIH R01-AI117235)

The goal of this project, which is run by Aleksandra Sikora at Oregon State University, is to identify and evaluate vaccine candidates that prevent infection from Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The RBL is providing immunological assay support to assess cellular mechanisms and correlates of protection. This includes intracellular cytokine staining, ELISpot, and lymphocyte immunophenotyping.

Gonorrhea Vaccine Cooperative Research Center (GV-CRC): Host Response Monitoring Core

Duke PI: A. Macintyre (NIH U19-AI144180)

This U19 program, run by the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (PI: A. Jerse), is developing vaccines for the prevention of gonorrhea and looking for immune markers that indicate candidate gonorrhea vaccines have induced immunity. The RBL is supporting this program by providing centralized immune monitoring to all projects within the program. Services provided include multiplexed antigen binding assays, cytokine/chemokine profiling, and fully-automated endpoint titer ELISAs.

RadCCORE – Radiation Countermeasures Center of Research Excellence (Immune Monitoring Core)

PI:  N. Chao (NIH U19-AI067798)

The RadCCORE based at Duke supports an Immune Monitoring Core comprised of technologies and services offered by two service laboratories within the Duke Human Vaccine Institute (DHVI):  the DHVI Flow Cytometry Facility and RBL Immunology Unit. The Immune Monitoring Core centrally provides RadCCORE investigators with high quality, state-of-the-art cell sorting, multiplex cytokine/chemokine assays, and T cell receptor gene expression analysis for their basic and applied research efforts. 

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Mechanisms Controlling Distinct Growth and Functional Characteristics of the Perinatal and Adult Thymus: Human Thymus Core

Duke PI: L. Hale (NIH  P01-AI139449)

This program, which is run by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (PI: E. Richie), seeks to identify specific changes in the profiles and signaling pathways that control thymic epithelial cell, stromal cell, and thymic hematopoietic antigen presenting cell compartment dynamics and lineage hierarchies during the transition from perinatal thymus expansion to juvenile/adult homeostasis. The RBL Immunology Unit supports the program by providing RNA-seq, spatial transcriptomic, flow cytometry, histologic and other data to help translate key findings from mice to humans.

Radiation Late Effects Cohort: Immune Monitoring Core

Duke PI: A. Macintyre (NIH U01-AI150578)

The RBL provides immune monitoring services to Wake Forest University (PI: M. Cline) to help assess the long-term consequences of radiation exposure in a unique cohort of nonhuman primates (NHP). Services provided include cell separation, molecular assessments of thymic output, and PBMC immunophenotyping.

Thymic and peripheral Aspects of T cell Aging and Rejuvenation: Human Target Verification and Thymic Function Core

Duke PI: L. Hale (NIH P01-AG052359)

The projects in this comprehensive discovery-based Thymus Rejuvenation P01 seek to identify mechanisms behind reduced thymic production and impaired peripheral maintenance of T cells with aging and stress, and develop combined strategies to ameliorate these defects and improve immune defense against infection and cancer in the elderly. The program is run by the University of Arizona (PI: J. Nikolich-Zugich) and the RBL Immunology Unit provides target verification through molecular, histologic, and cellular assays on human samples.

Promoting T cell recovery After Radiation Injury with Long-acting Interleukin 7

Duke PI: B. Chen (NIH 75N93024C00005)

The goal of this project is to characterize the effects of long-lived interleukin-7 on T cell recovery and preventing infections following radiation injury. The RBL Immunology Unit is providing molecular assay support to help characterize the effectiveness of the treatment.

EQAPOL – External Quality Assurance Program Oversight Laboratory (Multiplex Proficiency Testing Program)

Duke PI: T. Denny (75N93024D00003)

The EQAPOL, based at Duke (DHVI/Duke RBL), is an NIH contract-funded resource to support the development, implementation and oversight of external quality assurance programs that monitor laboratories involved in HIV/AIDS research and vaccine trials around the world. EQAPOL Multiplex assesses the proficiency of NIAID/DAIDS-supported and other interested research laboratories at performing a bead-based Luminex assay or plate-based MSD assay to quantify cytokine levels in human serum.

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