The Immunology Core provides Duke HIV/AIDS scientists, clinicians, collaborators, and trainees access to an innovative, state-of-the-art, and standardized repertoire of immunologic assays that can comprehensively and deeply interrogate the immunologic space in response to HIV-1 infection, vaccination, co-infections, and cure strategies.
The Core brings together a team of investigators with extensive expertise in HIV/AIDS innate, humoral and cellular immunology, virology, quality assurance, and scientific training to meet the in-country and international research needs of Duke HIV/AIDS scientists, clinicians, collaborators, and trainees. The Immunology Core fills critical gaps in the HIV/AIDS field by providing innovative, state-of-the-art, and standardized immunologic assays to comprehensively investigate the immune space relevant in HIV infection, vaccination, co-infection, prevention, immune prophylaxis, and HIV-1 Cure studies. The investigators comprising the Immunology Core have demonstrated sustained contributions in HIV/AIDS research and have a strong history of working collaboratively, serving many national and international HIV-related basic science research and immune monitoring of clinical trial efforts. Brought together in a single Core built upon decades of immunology and HIV/AIDS expertise, this team continues to be uniquely poised to tackle emerging needs in the field of HIV/AIDS-related immunology.
The Core offers the investigators access to the following highly standardized approaches: (1) assays to evaluate systemic and mucosal antibody (Ab) dynamics, including the specificity and breadth of binding and functionality as well as pharmacokinetics of infused antibodies and anti-drug antibodies (ADA); (2) T and B cell functional assays; and (3) systems immunology and multi-omics approaches.
Moreover, to offer CFAR investigators the ability to explore new spaces of the immune responses, we are expanding Core services to include (A) evaluating the complexity of structural interactions between Ab and HIV envelope that can be applied to other protein-protein interactions (Drs. Henderosn and Bennet); (B) analysis of cell-to-cell interactions with different microscopy-based technologies (Drs. Tuyishime, Makham, and Van der Mescht); and (C) evaluating application of AI technology to our data analytical tools in collaboration with the QS Core.
Immunology Core group email: cfar-immunology-core@duke.edu
Guido Ferrari, MD, Core Director
gflmp@duke.edu
Dr. Ferrari is Associate Professor in the Departments of Surgery and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology. He oversees the Cellular Cytotoxicity Component of the Immunology Core, which provides antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), ELISpot and infected cell binding antibody assays (ICABA). Dr. Ferrari is internationally known for his key insights into CD8+ T cell function and FcR-mediated antibody function, as well as his unparalleled commitment to international training in immunological techniques. Dr. Ferrari provided the first evidence for cross-clade CD8+ CTL reactivities induced by candidate AIDS vaccines, in collaboration with Dr. Weinhold. He also characterized the differences in class I-restricted epitope recognition between HIV-1-infected individuals and vaccine recipient and reported the anti-C1 epitope as the most recognized epitope by ADCC Ab responses in infected individuals. Dr. Ferrari has developed and standardized assays to probe innate and adaptive immune responses and has been a key investigator of the ADCC core laboratory for the CAVIMC, the primate AIDS vaccine evaluation group (PAVEG), and the HVTN.
David Montefiori, PhD, Core Associate Director
monte@duke.edu
Dr. Montefiori is Professor in the Department of Surgery and oversees the Neutralizing Antibody Component of the Immunology Core. Dr. Montefiori is internationally known for the development of standardized neutralization assays, reagent panels, and analytical methods that are the gold standard for assessing virus neutralization. He is a leading expert in viral immunology and HIV vaccine development, with an emphasis on neutralizing antibodies. His research includes HIV-infected individuals as well as nonhuman primate models of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) and simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) infection. Dr. Montefiori directs a large vaccine immune monitoring program, which operates in GCLP compliance, and has served as a national and international resource for standardized assessments of neutralizing antibody responses in preclinical and clinical trials of candidate AIDS vaccines since 1988. He currently directs a large Comprehensive Antibody Vaccine Immune Monitoring Consortium (CAVIMC) as part of the BMGF Collaboration for AIDS Vaccine Discovery (CAVD) and is a lead investigator of the Duke HVTN lab, the NIH Preclinical HIV-1 Vaccine Program, and CHAVD. He has published over 600 original research papers that have helped shape the scientific rationale for antibody-based HIV vaccines.
Marcella Sarzotti-Kelsoe, PhD, Director, QADVIP
marcella.kelsoe@duke.edu
Dr. Sarzotti-Kelsoe, Professor in the Department of Immunology and Associate Professor in Surgery at Duke, directs the Quality Assurance for Duke Vaccine Immunogenicity Programs (QADVIP) as the Central Quality Assurance Unit (CQAU) of the CFAR Immunology Core. Dr. Sarzotti-Kelsoe is an international expert in implementation and training on QA and QC measurements for laboratory-based studies. Over the past two decades, she has played a leading role in the creation and implementation of a Global Quality Program within the Duke academic environment. As Director of the QADVIP, she oversees compliance with GCLP guidelines by multiple national and international laboratories participating in clinical trial networks for HIV, SARS-CoV-2, Influenza and Malaria vaccines. She also supports the quality design of clinical decision-support tools for civilian and military wounded populations.
Rory Henderson, M.D., Core Associate Director
rory.henderson@duke.edu
Dr. Henderson, Associate Professor, the Head of Molecular Modeling and Simulation in the Division of Structural Biology at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, and the Project 1 Lead for the Duke Center for HIV Structural Biology (DCHSB).
With Dr. Henderson’s background in molecular modeling and simulation of protein-protein interaction along with biochemical and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) techniques, he and his lab investigate these details at high spatial and temporal resolution. Together, these methods provide a promising approach toward accelerating the design and characterization of the next generation of vaccine immunogens as well as selection of monoclonal antibodies for immunotherapy. He also serves on the Immunology Core Steering Committee where he contributes to planning and strategy of future mentoring and training events.
Justin J. Pollara, PhD, Core Associate Director
jpollara@duke.edu
Dr. Pollara is an Associate Professor in the Division of Surgical Sciences within the Department of Surgery at Duke University Medical Center (DUMC). Dr. Pollara has been an active member in the Duke CFAR throughout his pre and postdoctoral training. His role in the Immunology Core focuses on consultation, experimental design, and data analysis for immunologic assays performed by the Cellular Cytotoxicity Laboratory. Dr. Pollara also serves on the Immunology Core Steering Committee where he contributes to planning and strategy of future mentoring and training events.
R. Keith Reeves, Ph.D., Core Associate Director
keith.reeves@duke.edu
Dr. Reeves is a tenured Professor of Surgery, Professor of Pathology, and a Director in the Center Human Systems Immunology. Dr. Reeves has worked in the fields of HIV and innate immunity for over 20 years, where is considered a global expert in NK cell biology specifically harnessed in the context of vaccines and antiviral therapeutics. His role in the Immunology Core will focus on assisting CFAR investigators in developing studies that will explore innate immune responses and developing novel assays focused on the role of NK cell biology in HIV/SIV.
Xiaoying Shen, D.V.M., PhD, Core Associate Director
sxshen@duke.edu
Dr. Shen, Associate Professor, will serve as the Deputy Director of the Neutralizing Antibody component of the Immunology Core and will interact with Dr. Montefiori daily. This component will examine viral immunology and HIV vaccine development, with a special emphasis on neutralizing antibodies. Dr. Shen has a long history of immune assay development and GCLP compliant immune monitoring for the NIH Nonhuman Primate Core Humoral Immunology Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine Research and Development, HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) and Gates Foundation studies. She also serves on the Immunology Core Steering Committee where she contributes to planning and strategy of future mentoring and training events.
LaTonya D. Williams, PhD, Core Associate Director
Dr. Williams will lead the Laboratory for the Immune Response component of the Immunology Core. She has longstanding expertise in immune assays and was awarded the 2023 Duke HIV Outstanding Leadership in Scientific Mentoring Award and was awarded the prestigious 2024 HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) Bonnie Mathieson Young Investigator Award for outstanding scientific paper. Through Dr. Williams scientific leadership, she will examine immune responses to HIV-1 infection and vaccination using high throughput, sensitive and high data content GCLP-compliant and validated methods (HIV-1 BAMA, FcR, ADCP) and help mentor ESIs. She also serves on the Immunology Core Steering Committee where she contributes to planning and strategy of future mentoring and training events.
Wilton B. Williams, PhD, Core Associate Director
wilton.williams@duke.edu
Dr. Williams is an Associate Professor in the Division of Surgical Sciences within the Department of Surgery at Duke University Medical Center (DUMC). Dr. Williams work is focused on the further characterizing SHIV non-human primate models for HIV infection, and evaluates B cell responses to HIV-1 vaccination in humans and non-human primates. Dr. Williams has been an active member in the Duke CFAR and his role in the Immunology Core will focus on understanding the specificity and transcriptomic profile of B-cells. He also serves on the Immunology Core Steering Committee where he contributes to planning and strategy of future mentoring and training events.
M. Anthony Moody, M.D., Advisor
tony.moody@duke.edu
Dr. Moody, Professor, is the director of the Duke CIVICs Vaccine Center (DCVC) at (DHVI) and co-director of the Centers for Research of Emerging Infectious Disease Coordinating Center (CREID-CC). He is the Research Quality Officer for DHVI. Dr. Moody is also the director of the DHVI Accessioning Unit. Dr. Moody serves as an Advisor for the CFAR Immunology Core.