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Animal Care and Veterinary Services VETERINARY SERVICES NEWS VOL UME 6, ISSUE 1, WINTER 2016 Meet the researcher From seeing to believing: new approaches to study HIV-1 spread In order to keep us healthy, our immune system has an enormous task of recognizing and destroying a wide range of invading pathogens, while minimizing damage to healthy tissues. This is largely accomplished by a large array of immune cell subsets, each with distinct, but interconnected roles that must work together to mount an effective immune response. So how does the immune system know when an infection has occurred, and relay this information to the relevant cells? The answer lies in the unique ability of immune cells to migrate in and out of virtually all tissues in the body, and to congregate within specialized tissues, such as the lymph node and spleen, to exchange information amongst one another through cell-to-cell contacts. This results in the expression of new genes that controls the timing, quality and breadth of the immune response. Thus, our immune system is orchestrated by the migratory capacity and cell-to-cell communication dynamics of immune cells. It turns out, however, that pathogens have evolved to take advantage of these unique properties to spread into tissues they prefer to infect. For example, poxviruses infect T cells, which then transport the virus into the skin and causes skin lesions. In Dr. Thomas Murooka’s new laboratory in the Departments of Immunology and Medical Microbiology, his research team is investigating whether HIV-1 can also be transported from the initial mucosal site of infection, into lymphoid tissues, where an explosion of viral replication ensues. To characterize these early events in vivo, his lab will take advantage of “humanized” mouse models, which are mice that are repopulated with a human immune system, and are fully susceptible to HIV-1 infection. These mice are extremely important in conducting mechanistic, carefully controlled studies on HIV-1 pathogenesis in vivo that are not ethically or practically possible in humans. How does HIV-1 hijack the natural migratory capacity of immune cells to rapidly spread in the body? To answer this question, the University of Manitoba has established a unique, BSL2+ imaging facility within CACS, which allows researchers to take a peak into how cells migrate and behave within living tissues, in real-time. Using a technique called multiphoton intravital microscopy (MPIVM), Dr. Murooka’s lab will determine whether HIV-1 infection changes the migratory pattern and cell-to-cell interaction dynamics of immune cells directly in the lymph node of humanized mice. The goal is to first establish the importance of this mode of viral spread in vivo, and second, to develop and test new therapeutic strategies to block HIV transmission through cellto-cell interactions in vivo. We hope to gain a clearer understanding of HIV-1 pathophysiology through these studies, which are only possible through the facilities and resources available at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Thomas Murooka (left); The presence of a large, gangly HIVinfected cell in the lymph node is revealed by intravital micriscopy (right). UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA, OFFICE OF RESEARCH ETHICS & COMPLIANCE umanitoba.ca/animalcare Announcement We are pleased to announce that Dr. Patricia Johnson has joined the Animal Care and Use team in the Office of Research Ethics and Compliance as a Clinical Veterinarian. Patricia is an alumnus of the University of Manitoba where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Science in Agriculture. Her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine was obtained from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. Before joining us on November 30, 2015, Patricia worked as a mixed animal practitioner in rural Manitoba. We welcome her to our Veterinary Services team. Her phone number is 204-474-8024 and her email is patricia. [email protected] Safety Tips and Tricks for Working in Biocontainment 1. When removing PPE items, avoid dramatic body movements to prevent particles from becoming aerosolized. 2. When double- gloving, use two different colors of gloves. This will draw your attention to a tear in your outer glove much more quickly. 3. If you have long hair, make sure it is pulled back and up before donning PPE so your hair won’t touch your gown/coveralls. 4. Consider your surroundings while removing your PPE. If your balance is lost and you lean against a wall in your dirty PPE, be sure to follow the proper procedures to sanitize the contaminated surface. 5. Keep a trash can right at the dirty/clean threshold so PPE can be disposed of as soon as it’s removed. From: Laboratory Animal Science Professional, December 2014. RESEARCH ETHICS & COMPLIANCE ANIMAL CARE AND VETERINARY SERVICES Fort Garry Campus 208 - 194 Dafoe Road Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Phone (204) 474-6402 Fax (204) 269 7173 Visit our website click here UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA, OFFICE OF RESEARCH ETHICS & COMPLIANCE