Laboratory of Georgette Kanmogne, PhD, MPH

Research Interests

• Investigate the role of chemokine receptors and viral proteins on HIV-induced vascular injury, blood-brain barrier dysfunction and neurocognitive impairment. Studies focused on the role of the vascular endothelium in HIV brain and lung pathology and co-morbidities.
• Investigate the mechanisms through which CCR5 modulates HIV cellular interactions and viral entry into the brain. Characterize the effects of HIV and infected blood leukocytes on the human brain endothelium in vitro and in vivo, and the mechanisms through HIV and infected leukocytes induces blood-brain barrier dysfunction and contribute to HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND).
• Investigate the pathogenesis and mechanisms responsible for increase amyloidogenesis, Tau pathology and neurodegeneration in HIV/AIDS; crosstalk between HAND and Alzheimer’s Disease pathologies.
• Investigate the prevalence and risk factors for HAND in people living with HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. These include investigating the role viral genetics, epigenetics, genetic polymorphism, and mutations plays in the risk of developing HAND, modulation of HIV replication, drug resistance, efficacy of antiretroviral drugs, and non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy.
• Investigate the pathogenesis and mechanisms responsible for increase lung pathology and pulmonary complications in COVID-19: role of the vascular endothelium and cell-cell communications.

Long-Term Goals

To identify the mechanisms through which viral-transduced signals at the vascular endothelium and cellular communications influence disease pathology and comorbidities; use the knowledge gained to design novel therapeutic strategies against viral-induced injury of the vascular endothelium and associated brain and lung comorbidities.

Techniques used in laboratory

• Cell and tissue culture
• Cell adhesion and migration assays, trans-endothelial electric resistance (TEER)
• Mice reconstitution with human immune cells, HIV infection, collection and analysis of animal’s blood/plasma, and organs (ELISA, histology, Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, qPCR, Western blot)
• FACS analysis and laser confocal microscopy
• Protein expression, purification, quantification, and analysis (ELISA, Western blot, ChIP and luciferases assays)
• Nucleic acid purification and analyses (PCR, reverse transcription-PCR, real-time PCR, gene arrays, Southern and Northern blot analysis)
• HIV quantitation: p24 antigen and reserve transcriptase assays, RNAscope
• Autoradiography

Current Grants

PI: Georgette D. Kanmogne

• R01 MH132517-01A1: Preventing Alzheimer's Disease-Like Brain Patholy in HIV Infection by Targeting CCR5.

Completed Grants

PI: Georgette D. Kanmogne

• 1R21 MH123303-0A1: Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease-Like Brain Pathology in HIV Infection by Targeting CCR5.
• 1R01 MH094160-01A1: HIV Genetic Diversity and Viral Neuropathogenesis
• 1R01MH081780-01A1: Blood brain barrier immune compromise in NeuroAIDS
• 1R21 MH080611: NeuroAIDS in Cameroon: Molecular Mechanisms
• American Lung Association Career Investigator Award # CI-9817-N: Mechanisms of HIV-1 gp120-induced vascular injury and AIDS pulmonary complications.
• 1K01 MH068214-01: HIV-1 gp120-Induced Endothelial Cell Dysfunction
• American Foundation for AIDS Research Grant # 70541-30-RF: Cellular Mechanisms in AIDS Dementia.