Nicole F. Bernard, PhD

My research focus is the study of the immune correlates of protection against HIV infection in a subset of individuals who remain uninfected despite multiple exposures to this virus. The research program is based on the hypothesis that NK cells play a role in protection from HIV infection. NK cells, as key players in innate immunity, can mediate antiviral functions early after exposure to HIV infected cells and possibly prevent the establishment of a progressive infection. NK anti-viral function is determined by a process called licensing that is dependent of the integration of signals from cell surface activating and inhibitory receptors that sense the presence of ligands on other cells. I am interested in the link between carriage of NK receptor –ligand pairs that are associated with HIV protection and the antiviral functional potential of NK cells from these individuals. We also study correlates of immune protection against disease progression in infected subjects who progress slowly as defined by spontaneously controlling viral load or maintaining high CD4 counts long term.