Macrophage mediated neurodegeneration in AIDS

Description of projects available to graduate students:
Dr. Wiley's research concentrates on the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and in particular on viral induced nervous system diseases.
Viruses damage the nervous system either by direct infection of neural cells or by secondary effects of an immune response. Several lines of investigation have suggested that macrophage related factors mediate neuronal damage in AIDS.
We are studying the role of extracellular matrix disruption in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration.

Techniques graduate student will learn:
A wide variety of quantitative histopathologic techniques related to gene expression in the nervous system. Whole organism techniques include: brain harvesting and sampling, and small animal perfusion. Histologic techniques include: immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization and ultrastructural analysis. Training on laser confocal and electron microscopes is available.
Protein techniques include: antibody purification and tagging. Molecular techniques include: RNA and DNA extraction from tissues, competitive PCR probe construction and quantitation.