HIV/STD Laboratory CORE DESCRIPTION
The HIV/STD Laboratory Core of the UNC CFAR offers services and collaborations to HIV researchers for their basic and clinical research projects. The Core provides a GCLP environment for specimen processing and testing.
The HIV/STD Laboratory Core consults and collaborates with researchers at UNC-CH, RTI International, and FHI 360 (as well as outside researchers). Our contributions to recent research projects include:
- developing flow cytometry assays and cytokine ELISA and multiplex bead array panels
- providing instrumentation, e.g. ELISPOT reader
- sequencing of HIV from patients
- testing new microbiologic diagnostic assays on a variety of specimen types
- testing compounds for anti-HIV activity
- measuring prostate specific antigen (PSA) as a marker of sexual activity
- training of personnel in virus work and various assays
The Core serves as a repository for long- and short-term storage of biological specimens from HIV+ patients in the UNC CFAR HIV Clinical Cohort (UCHCC) and maintains a current CDC-USPHS permit for importing HIV+ specimens from foreign countries.
Researchers and clinicians can request services using the button at the top of the page and you can contact us by our email address.
HIV/STD Laboratory CORE NEWS
The HIV/STD Laboratory Core is located on the 5th floor of Taylor Hall, which is adjacent to MBRB. The Basic Science part of the Core lab is in 22-059 Lineberger Cancer Center.
Julie Nelson, Ph.D.
Core Director
Dr. Nelson is a Research Associate Professor in Microbiology and Immunology and serves as the Director of the HIV/STD Laboratory Core. She has extensive expertise in HIV virology and molecular biology, working on HIV envelope evolution, genotyping of all regions of HIV, adapting viral load and sequencing assays to multiple specimen types (including breastmilk, genital secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, throatwash, dried blood spots, and urine), infection of different cell types with different strains of HIV, mutagenesis of HIV, and testing new antiretroviral compounds.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CB# 7291
Chapel Hill, NC
jnelson@med.unc.edu
Office Phone: 919-966-6867
Kristina De Paris, Ph.D.
Associate Core Director
Dr. De Paris is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Her research focuses on host-pathogen interactions in HIV-1 infection. The long-term goal of her work is to prevent HIV-1 transmission by breast-feeding. Towards this goal, her lab is performing pathogenesis and vaccine studies in the infant macaque model of oral SIV infection. Realizing that pediatric vaccine design and implementation require a detailed understanding of immune development in infants, her lab is trying to understand how molecular mechanisms of immune signaling differ between human infants and adults and how these responses mature during the first year of life. This knowledge will be instrumental for further vaccine optimization. Dr. De Paris is an experienced immunologist who is assisting clinicians in immunological aspects of their research, including flow cytometric sample analysis, and measurement of biological mediators in various body fluids by ELISA or multiplex micro-bead analysis.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
abelk@med.unc.edu
Office phone: 919-843-9560
Robert Krysiak, MSc
Associate Core Director
Robert Krysiak is a Research Associate at the Institute of Global Health and Infectious Diseases. Rob earned his Master of Science in Microbiology from Thomas Jefferson University and has worked at UNC since 1997. He is a clinical microbiologist and a recognized expert in building and maintaining laboratory systems in resource-limited settings. He has developed an extensive background in international laboratory development and management in nearly fifteen countries in support of public health research targeting infectious diseases, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. He was most recently the Laboratory Director at UNC Project-Malawi before joining the HSL Core.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
robert_krysiak@med.unc.edu
Marcia Hobbs, Ph.D.
Associate Core Director
Dr. Hobbs is a Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology. Marcia earned her BS from Duke University and her PhD from UNC; she has been on the faculty at Carolina since 1996. The Hobbs lab conducts translational research focused on non-viral sexually transmitted infections; the lab supports a variety of research projects aimed directly at diagnosis, treatment and prevention of sexually transmitted infections or the use of these infections as bio-markers in evaluating biomedical or behavioral interventions aimed at STI/HIV prevention.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CB# 7031
Chapel Hill, NC
marcia_hobbs@med.unc.edu
Fax: 919-843-1015
Office Phone: 919-843-6893
John Schmitz, Ph.D.
Clinical Consultant
Dr. Schmitz is a Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Microbiology/Immunology and directs the Histocompatibility, Flow Cytometry and Clincal Immunology Laboratories at UNC Hospitals. Dr. Schmitz has experiences in the use of cytokine assays, flow cytometry including cell surface and intracellular cytokine assays as well as lymphocyte proliferation assays. He has used that experience in validating and implementing assays for HIV related research for over 15 years. Prior to establishing the Immunology Core Dr. Schmitz served for 8 years as the Director of the UNC Immunology Support Laboratory, one of 8 Immunology Cores within the ACTG. In addition to his experience providing support of basic, translational and clinical studies of HIV infection, Dr. Schmitz has extensive experience in diagnostic Immunology as director of the Clinical Immunology, Flow Cytometry and Histocompatibility Laboratories at UNC Hospitals. Dr. Schmitz’ 25 years of clinical research experience include assessment of antigen-specific humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, quantitation of soluble markers, immunogenetic testing and molecular diagnostics of infectious diseases.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CB# 7600
Chapel Hill, NC
jschmitz@unch.unc.edu
Fax: 919-966-0486
Office Phone: 919-966-8453
Dana Lapple
Research Associate
William Wolf
Research Technician
Gloria Oyediran
Research Technician
Charlie McGehee
Research Technician
Kiera Williams
Research Technician
Laura Langer
Research Technician
Makayla Nicely
Research Technician
Ryan Hansen
Research Specialist
Aidyn Cada
Research Technician
UPDATED November 2019
RIGOR AND REPRODUCIBILITY FOR CFAR HIV/STD LABORATORY CORE
Eight steps to Rigorous and Reproducible Experiments in Biomolecular Research at UNC:
- If using a core facility, consult with the core staff in the planning stage. Consult with a statistician if you need help developing a Power Analysis to assure that your results will be adequately powered.
- Design your experiment with sufficient controls (rigor) and replicates (reproducibility).
- Assure that ALL of your reagents (antibodies, cell lines, mice) are fully validated (see below).
- Have a clear and detailed protocol (SOP) and data analysis plan. Assure that the protocol is strictly followed or that any deviation is well documented.
- Assure that the staff or students performing the experiment are well trained and understand each step and the importance of performing them precisely.
- Use only well-maintained instrumentation, preferably maintained and operated in a core facility with expert staff (see #1 above).
- Document all steps, reagents, equipment and data analysis methods used in the experiment. Assure that the both the documentation and the data itself are properly stored in a safe data management repository.
- Acknowledge the Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA016086) (if applicable), other grants that support the core, the core (by name), and core staff in publications.
Guide to Rigor and Reproducibility for the CFAR HIV/STD Laboratory Core
- Consult with the core staff in the planning stage. – Contact Julie Nelson, Core Director at jnelson@med.unc.edu or 919-966-6872
- Depending on the type of testing needed, appropriate controls and standards will be included. Replicates are important and can vary depending on the type of testing and power calculations. Flow cytometry, soluble marker quantitation, HIV quantitation, PSA detection, and HIV inhibition assays all have different controls and standards. Talk to us about the appropriate controls, standards, and replicates for your project.
- Validation of methods must be done when using a kit for a different sample type than the kit was designed for (soluble markers, etc.). The Core has validated methods for HIV quantitation from dried blood spots and PSA detection from vaginal swabs, for instance.
- The HIV/STD Laboratory Core provides training to ensure that all investigators are properly training in our technology unless we are contracted to do the work within the core. Training is provided includes BSL2+ work with HIV or human blood, MagPix and ELISA quantitation, ELISPOT reader use, flow on HIV-infected cells, and in vitro work with HIV. Contact us for more information.
- The CFAR HIV/STD Laboratory Core participates in external quality assurance for PBMC processing through the IQA and is CAP/CLIA accredited. The Core is also GCLP compliant in accordance with NIH DAIDS Network oversight.
- All equipment in the HIV/STD Laboratory Core is maintained per GCLP, CAP, or manufacturer’s instructions. In addition, QC measures are in place per GCLP and CAP.
- Detailed descriptions of experimental procedures and validations, including sample storage and processing, are documented electronically and in notebooks within the Core.
- Please acknowledge the UNC Center for AIDS Research HIV/STD Laboratory Core in your publications. Instructions for acknowledgment can be found here: http://unccfar.org/acknowledge-the-cfar/
UPDATED JUNE 2023
| Services | UNC ($) | Non-UNC ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Abbott VL | 172 | 268 |
| T cell T mag | 141 | 220 |
| ELISPOT outside CFAR | 60 | 94 |
| MagPix/LX200 | 86 | 134 |
| Serum with additives | 64 | 100 |
| PBMC to 50ml blood CRS | 160 | 249 |
| 1 spin CRS | 55 | 85 |
| 2 spin CRS | 55 | 86 |
| Aliquots CRS | 55 | 85 |
| DBS (supplies only) | 5 | 8 |
| Leukopak (handling only) | 225 | 361 |
| HLA test from Histogenetics | 195 | 303 |
| HLA DNA extraction | 20 | 31 |
| Phlebotomy | 60 | 94 |
| Donor recruitment | 20 | 31 |
| Specimen handling | 35 | 54 |
| Dry ice shipping | 118 | 183 |
| LN2 shipping | 180 | 279 |
| Storage in -20 or -80 freezer; per box per month | 1 | 2 |
| Storage in liquid nitrogen freezer; per box per month | 2 | 4 |
| Assay labor | 60 | 93 |
| Analysis | 100 | 156 |
| Consultation | 110 | 172 |
*Cost will be determined for each project to include kits, supplies, and labor
All projects with non-UNC funds will have an additional 55.5% fee
