The Division of Bioresearch is actively involved in the evaluation of vaccines, therapeutics, microbicides, and drug therapies in animal models including nonhuman primate models to combat infectious diseases in humans. Experience with many viruses, virus vectors, parasites, electroporation and bacteria. BIOQUAL also offers support services associated with high containment studies involving Select Agents. All infectious disease work is performed in BIOQUAL’s state-of-the art BSL-2 and BSL-3 laboratories.
Mark G. Lewis, Ph.D., President 301 251 2801 ext. 110
Examples of Actively Ongoing Infectious Disease Research
- Vaccine, microbicide and therapeutic development for HIV
- Vaccine development for influenza viruses: A (subtypes H1N1, H3N2, H5N1) and B
- Development of therapeutics and vaccines for pox viruses
- Vaccine and therapeutics development for RSV and human metapneumovirus
- Vaccine development for dengue and yellow fever viruses
- Vaccine development using virus vectors, DNA electroporation, adjuvanted proteins, etc.
- Herpesviruses models: HSV-1 and -2, CMV, HHV-8
- Malaria modeling
BIOQUAL has expertise in the development and utilization of infectious disease in vivo models.
Our capabilities include:
- Development of novel models to emerging diseases, such as highly pathogenic avian influenza, HIV/SIV/SHIV, SARS, chikungunya, dengue and others
- Development of new procedures for analysis
- Development of study protocols and study flow charts
- Topical and systemic applications of vaccines and therapeutics
- Virus challenges by various routes, including intravenous, intrarectal, intravaginal, oral, intranasal, and intratracheal routes
- Long-term follow-up studies for analysis of disease outcome
- Pharmacokinetic studies
- Clinical evaluations
- Full necropsies including histopathology evaluations
BIOQUAL conducts in vitro laboratory services in support of infectious disease models that are necessary to evaluate the virological and immunological responses of vaccines and the effectiveness of topical microbicides and therapeutics. We also provide in vitro support for pathogenesis studies.
Examples of services that BIOQUAL offers are:
- Cell-free and cell-associated virus titrations
- Plaque reduction assays
- Hemagglutination inhibition assays
- Neutralization and microneutralization assays
- Quantitative TAQMAN PCR and RT-PCR for HIV, SIV, SHIV, chikungunya virus , RSV, dengue virus, yellow fever virus, seasonal and highly pathogenic influenza virus, and monkeypox virus
- ELISPOT assays
- Six-color flow cytometry for surface markers, tetramer/pentamer staining, intracellular cytokine staining, CFSE-labeled cells
- ELISAs for antibodies and viral antigens
Small Laboratory Animal Sciences
Reproductive Endocrinology and Toxicology
In Vitro Laboratory Services
Environmental Enrichment and Behavior
GLP Studies
Partnerships for Contracts and Grants