Share Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division
VIDD News
Newly discovered class of cytotoxic T cells suppresses genital herpes
Scientists identify a new type of tissue-resident T cell (CD8αα+) that plays a key role in immune surveillance and initial containment of genital herpes reactivation.
June 17, 2013
in Science Spotlight
Genital Herpes-Suppressing Immune Cells Identified
Scientists at the Hutchinson Center Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division and University of Washington have identified a class of immune cells that reside long-term in the genital skin and mucosa and are believed to be responsible for suppressing recurring outbreaks of genital herpes.
May 8, 2013
in VIDD News
South African HVTN Researcher Receives Highest Civilian Award
HVTN investigator Dr. Glenda Gray, one of the world’s foremost authorities on the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa, is honored by South African President Jacob Zuma for her substantial achievements in designing, implementing and overseeing HIV vaccine trials, as well as ensuring those in most need of prevention and treatment measures benefit from advances made by the HIV/AIDS biomedical community.
May 8, 2013
in VIDD News
The value of monitoring drug levels in persons with aspergillosis
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) can be caused by environmental fungi, such as Aspergillus fumigatus, that do not usually cause disease.
May 8, 2013
in VIDD News
Estimation of PrEP efficacy in HIV clinical trials
Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is one of many strategies for curbing infectious disease transmission.
April 16, 2013
in VIDD News
Estimating vaccine efficacy against recurrent, multi-strain pathogens A model using a single time point to estimate strain-specific and overall vaccine efficacy for multi-strain pathogens which can be acquired and carried repeatedly.
March 18, 2013
in Science Spotlight
VIDD's Joshua Hill Wins Publication Prize
The Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division's Dr. Joshua Hill is the recipient of the Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation's 2012 George Santos Award for best clinical science article by a new investigator.
Feb. 19, 2013
in VIDD News
Biomarkers of study drug adherence
The Partners in Prevention study, a large study conducted in Africa among 3,408 HIV discordant couples, in which one partner had HIV and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) and the other was HIV negative, concluded in 2009 but its analysis continues to yield new insights into HIV, HSV-2 and other aspects of viral infection and study design.
Feb. 1, 2013
in VIDD News
The Human Microbiome (aka the Small but Silent Majority) with David Fredricks
In the past decade, the concept of the ‘microbiome’ has come to the forefront of biomedical research.
Dec. 3, 2012
in VIDD News
Key statistics in the HPTN 052 trial
The HIV Prevention Trials Network study HPTN 052 yielded a major breakthrough in HIV prevention last year when early results of the ongoing study revealed that anti-retroviral treatment can reduce HIV transmission by an incredible 96 percent.
Nov. 1, 2012
in VIDD News
VIDD Plays Integral Role in Recent HIV Vaccine Breakthroughs
In 2009, the results of an HIV vaccine clinical trial sponsored by the Thai Ministry of Health and U.S. Military HIV Research Program galvanized the worldwide HIV vaccine community.
Oct. 22, 2012
in VIDD News
Identifying host immune responses to HSV-2 disease severity
The majority of recurrent genital lesions worldwide are caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2).
Sept. 3, 2012
in VIDD News
Finding biomarkers of treatment response
In medical research, biomarkers can be used as indicators of many different disease states.
Sept. 3, 2012
in VIDD News
Optimizing new technologies for the assessment of immune responses
As new immunology assays are developed, there is a need to standardize, optimize and validate them to determine whether they can contribute reliable new information about the immune response.
Aug. 31, 2012
in VIDD News
Sieving through Step trial data
The HVTN’s Step trial was halted in 2007 for the test vaccine’s failure to protect against HIV infection, but analyses of the large amounts of data continues to this day and HVTN and other researchers have made many fruitful discoveries about HIV infection and our immune reactions to the virus and vaccine.
Aug. 27, 2012
in VIDD News
Hydrogen peroxide, vaginal microbiota and HIV: what’s the connection?
The vagina is home to millions of microorganisms; some are beneficial and make up the majority of species in healthy vaginas, and others, such as bacteria associated with bacterial vaginosis, can be pathogenic.
Aug. 13, 2012
in VIDD News
PING tracks down nucleosomes
Our DNA is packaged into our cells with many different methods of organization
July 2, 2012
in VIDD News
A look at respiratory infections in transplant patients with Sachiko Seo
The Hutchinson Center’s strong commitment to infectious disease research is spurred in part by the fact that transplant patients are vulnerable to so many different infectious agents
July 2, 2012
in VIDD News
Analyzing sexual behavior influence on vaginal microbe colonization
The vagina for health-associated microbes is like Hawaii for Seattleites: a wonderfully enticing locale if not overrun with tourists.
May 30, 2012
in VIDD News
The Vpu protein is HIV’s weapon against immune system’s first line of defense
Our immune system consists of two types of response: the innate immune system can respond very quickly to invading pathogens but is non-specific, and the adaptive immune system is able to build a specific defense against a given foreign agent but takes longer to initially develop.
May 16, 2012
in VIDD News
Contemplating the compliance confounder in clinical trials with James Dai
A randomized clinical trial can be thought of as the “gold standard” for assessing efficacy of a vaccine, treatment or behavioral intervention.
May 7, 2012
in VIDD News
Small sample size: statisticians tackle the problem
A common vaccine clinical trial structure includes enrollment of the cohort, administration of the vaccine and follow-up of cohort status.
May 2, 2012
in VIDD News
Novel tools for classifying genome-wide transcriptional output
As biological research has progressed into gathering and interoperating huge data sets from experiments such as genome sequencing, proteomics and clinical trials, the ability to analyze the results in a meaningful and accurate way is critical and requires specific statistical methodologies.
March 5, 2012
in VIDD News
Determining risk factors for CMV acquisition
Approximately 1 million people in the United States are currently living with or in remission from hematologic malignancies, including leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
March 3, 2012
in VIDD News
HIV discordancy in sub-Saharan Africa
Understanding how HIV is transmitted in different populations is important to preventing this deadly infection’s spread, but this information is not always readily available.
Feb. 6, 2012
in VIDD News
Developing methods to cure chronic viral infections with Martine Aubert
Viruses such as HIV and herpes simplex virus (HSV) are especially pernicious because they are able to “hide” in our bodies, persisting only in DNA form.
Feb. 6, 2012
in VIDD News
Calculating HIV’s infectivity
Understanding the likelihood of HIV transmission per sexual act is important in designing effective prevention methods and in understanding how HIV spreads through a population.
Feb. 1, 2012
in VIDD News
SCHARP played key role in scientific breakthrough of the year
The Hutchinson Center's Statistical Center for HIV/AIDS Research & Prevention (SCHARP) played a key role in the HIV prevention study that Science magazine recently chose as its scientific breakthrough of the year for 2011.
Jan. 9, 2012
in Center News
HPTN 052: Science Breakthrough of the Year, 2011
Every year, Science announces the Breakthrough of the Year, an honor bestowed to research that impacts a wide array of scientists and has far-reaching and profound implications.
Jan. 9, 2012
in VIDD News
Detection of pediatric viral pathogens
Respiratory infections are one of the most common reasons for pediatric hospital admission, especially in children <24 months of age.
Jan. 6, 2012
in VIDD News
Can high-dose antiherpes therapy eliminate genital HSV-2 shedding?
Despite the efficacy of acyclovir and valacyclovir in reducing herpes genital lesions, antiviral therapy decreases the risk of transmission by only 48%.
Jan. 5, 2012
in VIDD News
Evaluating principal surrogates for clinical trial outcomes
Clinical trials that evaluate the efficacy of a treatment on acquisition of or survival time from various diseases can be time consuming and expensive.
Dec. 5, 2011
in VIDD News
A Statistician’s Perspective on HIV Prevention Trial Design with Deborah Donnell
Clinical trials are often implemented to test the safety and efficacy of particular prevention, diagnostic or therapeutic strategies and require a multi-faceted approach for development, operation and analysis.
Dec. 5, 2011
in VIDD News
Does adeno-associated virus lead to clinical disease in the immunosuppressed?
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a paravirus that has been considered an attractive candidate vaccine vector (or “delivery system”) due to its presumed nonpathogenicity and specific integration into the host’s DNA.
Dec. 1, 2011
in VIDD News
New insights into hand, foot, and mouth disease epidemics in China
Hand, foot, and mouth disease affects mainly children 5 years old and under, is caused by different types of enterovirus and in most forms normally not severe. However, one type of hand, foot, and mouth disease, caused by the virus EV71, can have dramatic effects, including nerve damage, paralysis or death.
Nov. 22, 2011
in VIDD News
Improving prevention of CMV disease in high-risk umbilical blood transplant recipients
Umbilical cord blood transplants offer transplants and cures to many of the 16,000 leukemia patients each year who are unable to find a matching bone marrow donor, but pose unique complications due to the small number of blood stem cells present in each donated umbilical cord.
Nov. 17, 2011
in VIDD News
The timing of IL-2 in HIV vaccination
In the hunt for a safe and effective HIV vaccine, many combinations of vaccine types have been tested.
Nov. 15, 2011
in VIDD News
The consequences of antiviral therapy on herpesvirus shedding
Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) is a sexually transmitted disease that can cause genital ulcers as a result of viral reactivation from a latent state.
Nov. 7, 2011
in VIDD News
Modeling which gender benefits most from vaginal microbicides
Recent clinical trials of vaginal microbicides have shown promise at reducing risk of HIV transmission.
Nov. 7, 2011
in VIDD News
The effect of antiviral compounds on human herpesvirus-8 replication
Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) is a human oncovirus and the key pathogenic agent in certain cancers: Kaposi sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma and certain types of multicentric Castleman disease.
Oct. 3, 2011
in VIDD News
Accelerating the pace of HIV clinical trials
In the last 12 years, approximately 15 million new HIV infections occurred.
Oct. 3, 2011
in VIDD News
Michele Andrasik weaves together social and biomedical HIV vaccine research
VIDD staff scientist Dr. Michele Andrasik joined the division in July of 2010, but she is no stranger to HIV/AIDS research.
Oct. 3, 2011
in VIDD News
A test for the T cell immune response to HSV-2
The long-term transmission risk of HSV-2 infection.
Sept. 16, 2011
in VIDD News
The hunt for Merkel cell carcinoma-specific T cells
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive skin cancer that has a high mortality rate and limited treatment options. Merkel cell polyomavirus (MPCyV) has been recently identified as an essential component for growth of most MCCs.
Sept. 9, 2011
in VIDD News
The hunt for causes of chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disabling condition characterized by long-term debilitating physical and mental fatigue, along with associated systemic symptoms.
Sept. 7, 2011
in VIDD News
Identifying ulcers
A VIDD study has found that patients co-infected with HIV and genital herpes are not always aware of herpes-induced ulcers, suggesting that new methods to prevent herpes and HIV transmission in this population are needed.
Sept. 5, 2011
in VIDD News
A look at the ebbs and flows of immune cells with Martin Prlic
The human immune system contains a rich diversity of cell types, all with unique functions, and many with the ability to adapt to fight different pathogens.
Sept. 5, 2011
in VIDD News
Fredricks elected to infectious diseases society
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division’s Dr. David Fredricks was recently elected as a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Aug. 29, 2011
in Center News
Prevention of HIV transmission in serodiscordant couples
It has been well-documented that combination antiretroviral therapy can lower HIV viral load and delay HIV disease progression to AIDS
Aug. 11, 2011
in VIDD News
Key considerations in non-inferiority trials
Many clinical trials compare the efficacy of a new treatment to no treatment, or to a placebo.
Aug. 8, 2011
in VIDD News
Escape from regulation by HIV-protective cytotoxic T cells
Among individuals with HIV-1 infection, there are a rare few who are able to successfully control the virus for many years, maintaining very low viral loads and high CD4+ T cell counts without the need for therapeutic interventions.
July 17, 2011
in VIDD News
The Phambili study: further insights into the Merck Ad5-based HIV vaccine
The HVTN’s Step study, a large phase IIb trial to test the efficacy of a Merck adenovirus 5 (Ad5)-based HIV vaccine, was halted in 2007 when mid-trial analyses showed that the vaccine had no effect in preventing HIV infection.
July 11, 2011
in VIDD News
T-cell responses to HIV proteins are biased toward variable sequences
An effective HIV vaccine designed to elicit T-cell responses must either induce broad responses to a wide variety of epitopes, or protein pieces, in order to cover the extensive sequence variability in circulating HIV-1 strains, or it must be focused on a few highly conserved epitopes expected to be present in the majority of circulating strains likely to be encountered by a vaccinated individual.
June 10, 2011
in VIDD News
Safety and immunogenicity of a DNA/adenovirus serotype 5 HIV-1 Env/Gag/Pol/Nef vaccine
A major obstacle to the development of an effective HIV vaccine is the high genetic diversity among global HIV-1 isolates, most notably in the envelope protein (Env) that makes up the virus’ outer shell.
June 6, 2011
in VIDD News
Evaluating administration routes of a candidate HIV vaccine
An ongoing challenge for HIV vaccine research has been the identification of the ideal vaccine regimen for the induction of an effective immune response while maintaining safety and tolerability of the regimen for recipients.
June 6, 2011
in VIDD News
A look at the innate immune response to HIV vaccines with Erica Andersen-Nissen
An effective vaccine must be able to spur robust and specific immune responses in recipients.
June 6, 2011
in VIDD News
Oral vaccine could have halved Haiti’s cholera epidemic
New findings, by Dr. Ira Longini and colleagues in the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center concluded that had a large stockpile of oral cholera vaccine been available and deployed to inoculate the majority of high-risk Haitians in the aftermath of last year’s earthquake, the illness and death from the cholera epidemic could have been reduced by about half.
April 18, 2011
in Center News
Mechanisms of mature T cell survival and differentiation
T cells possess the remarkable ability to differentiate into a large pool of short-lived effector cells and a small subset of long-lived memory cells after becoming activated following exposure to an antigen.
April 15, 2011
in VIDD News
Youth and the flu
To decide how best to allocate and prioritize vaccines for highly infectious diseases, such as the flu, it’s important to know which groups of people are the most infectious and susceptible to that disease.
March 11, 2011
in VIDD News
A look at the statistics of outliers with Youyi Fong
In HIV vaccine trials and in large clinical trials in general, experiments have to be planned precisely and there is often little room for error.
March 7, 2011
in VIDD News
Crystal structure and functional model of a γδ T-cell receptor
A defining characteristic of the immune system’s T cells is their ability to recognize fragments of foreign protein, known as antigens, and respond by producing compounds that amplify the immune response or kill infected cells.
Feb. 8, 2011
in VIDD News
How our immune system recognizes rapidly evolving viruses
Human leukocyte antigens, or HLAs, are part of a key step in the immune system’s recognition of foreign invaders.
Feb. 7, 2011
in VIDD News
How our immune system recognizes rapidly evolving viruses
Human leukocyte antigens, or HLAs, are part of a key step in the immune system’s recognition of foreign invaders.
Feb. 1, 2011
in VIDD News
Evaluating biological exposure during condom failure
Most measures of male condom failure are indirect: studies have assessed self-reported rates of condom failure, unintended pregnancies, or transmission of sexually transmitted diseases among couples who consistently use condoms.
Jan. 27, 2011
in VIDD News
The long-term transmission risk of HSV-2 infection
Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) is a common and persistent infection.
Jan. 15, 2011
in VIDD News
Ad5 infection does not increase risk of HIV infection
The HVTN’s Step study, a large phase IIB trial of a candidate HIV vaccine which included pieces of the virus adenovirus 5 (Ad5), surprisingly showed that uncircumcised men who had been infected with Ad5 in the past and received the candidate vaccine were more likely to become infected with HIV than those who received the placebo in the trial.
Jan. 14, 2011
in VIDD News
New Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Network opens in VIDD
Jan. 3, 2011
in VIDD News
Herpes therapy does not select for HIV-1 resistance
Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is a common co-infection among HIV-infected persons, and co-infection has been linked to increased risk of HIV transmission.
Jan. 1, 2011
in VIDD News
Herpes therapy does not select for HIV-1 resistance
Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is a common co-infection among HIV-infected persons, and co-infection has been linked to increased risk of HIV transmission.
Jan. 1, 2011
in VIDD News
vidd faculty
Now that VIDD is a full scientific division at the Hutchinson Center, there is a lot more we need to do “in house.”
Dec. 6, 2010
in VIDD News
A look at computational methods for analyzing large amounts of data with Raphael Gottardo
Biologists are often faced with daunting amounts of numbers, and have to find ways to sift through these piles of data before being able to understand the results of their experiments.
Dec. 6, 2010
in VIDD News
Herpes may predict HIV epidemics
Unlike sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Middle East have relatively low rates of HIV, but epidemiological data in these areas are sparse.
Dec. 6, 2010
in VIDD News
Case report: Development of antiviral resistance to pandemic H1N1
The 2009 pandemic H1N1 strain was dangerous to many populations, but especially to immunocompromised patients such as stem cell transplant recipients.
Dec. 6, 2010
in VIDD News
How serious are childhood seizures brought on by GI disease?
Fever-associated seizures in infancy and early childhood are relatively common, happening in 2 to 4 percent of children in the U.S.
Dec. 6, 2010
in VIDD News
Participant perceptions and clinical trial adherence
Although researchers make every effort to ensure adherence and maintain blinding in placebo-controlled clinical trials, participant perceptions can have unpredictable effects on trial outcomes.
Nov. 20, 2010
in VIDD News
Gender differences in Kaposi sarcoma outcomes
Kaposi sarcoma (KS), a cancer caused by human herpesvirus 8, is the most common HIV-related malignancy.
Nov. 12, 2010
in VIDD News
Gender differences in Kaposi sarcoma outcomes
Kaposi sarcoma (KS), a cancer caused by human herpesvirus 8, is the most common HIV-related malignancy.
Nov. 12, 2010
in VIDD News
Optimizing vaccine allocation during flu epidemics
In pandemic outbreaks of influenza, the epidemic can spread rapidly before large-scale vaccine production can catch up.
Nov. 11, 2010
in VIDD News
Optimizing flow cytometry data transformation
High-throughput screening of cell populations by flow cytometry has dramatically increased the productivity of cellular phenotyping assays, and is often used by VIDD scientists to study different populations of immune cells, but requires automated processing methods to maximize its potential.
Nov. 4, 2010
in VIDD News
Models shed light on variability in genital herpes
Genital herpes, which is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), is a lifelong infection with periods of latency and flare-up.
Nov. 2, 2010
in VIDD News
Estimating false positive rates more precisely
For any disease test or screening, a certain false positive rate exists
Nov. 1, 2010
in VIDD News
Exploring risk factors and progression of childhood cancers in Uganda
Independent research funding for a trainee can now be counted among the milestones of the Uganda Program on Cancer and Infectious Diseases (UPCID), centered at VIDD.
Nov. 1, 2010
in VIDD News
A view of HIV vaccine trials from the laboratory perspective with Olivier Defawe
In a large, multi-site, international trials organization such as the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, several steps of every trial have to be standardized to ensure that scientists can accurately interpret the results.
Nov. 1, 2010
in VIDD News
VIDD’s McElrath named senior vice president
Dr. Julie McElrath, co-director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, is a new senior vice president at the Hutchinson Center. She replaces Dr. Larry Corey, who assumes the role of Center president and director in January.
Nov. 1, 2010
in Center News
Safety of an adenovirus serotype 5-vectored HIV-1 Gag/Pol/Env vaccine
For several years, the recombinant adenovirus serotype-5 (Ad5) vaccine vector was the prime candidate for creating an effective HIV-1 vaccine, due to its safety, tolerability and robust induction of an immune response in most individuals.
Oct. 27, 2010
in VIDD News
The risks of prophylactic treatment for HIV
HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) can be used as an emergency preventative measure immediately following high risk sexual behavior, like a plan B for HIV.
Oct. 14, 2010
in VIDD News
Investigating sexual transmission of hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a chronic infection caused by hepatitis C virus, or HCV, which is carried in the blood. In the U.S., most cases of HCV infection happen when drug users share needles with an infected person, and thus have direct blood-to-blood contact.
Oct. 14, 2010
in VIDD News
HIV viral populations in breast milk
Approximately 30-50 percent of all mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission occurs through breastfeeding. This problem is most common in sub-Saharan Africa, where there is limited access to antiretroviral drugs, infant formula and safe drinking water.
Oct. 4, 2010
in VIDD News
Why doesn’t acyclovir treatment reduce HIV-1 transmission risk?
Herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) is the most common cause of genital ulcers and is a known risk factor for HIV-1 acquisition and transmission.
Oct. 4, 2010
in VIDD News
Flu treatment in stem cell transplant recipients
Recipients of hematopoietic cell transplants (HCT), a form of stem cell transplant, are at high risk for secondary complications from many infections due to their immunocompromised state following the procedure.
Sept. 23, 2010
in VIDD News
Testing an Ad5-based HIV vaccine in sites around the world
The HVTN 050 trial was a Phase I trial testing a candidate HIV vaccine by Merck for its safety and ability to elicit immune responses.
Sept. 20, 2010
in VIDD News
Skin vaccination via Nanopatch for HSV-2 vaccines
Most vaccines available to the public are given with a needle and syringe plunged deep into a large muscle, but muscles actually contain very few immune cells and some researchers believe other routes of administration might be more effective.
Sept. 17, 2010
in VIDD News
School openings may have triggered 2009 novel H1N1 outbreak
It is well known that schools are breeding grounds for all kinds of communicable diseases, but scientific evidence of schools’ specific contributions to population-wide epidemics is often lacking.
Sept. 15, 2010
in VIDD News
Reducing transmission risk by reducing HIV loads in blood
The risk of HIV transmission is strongly associated with the level of HIV-1 RNA in the blood plasma (the viral load) of an infected individual, with greater viral loads associated with greater risks of transmission.
Sept. 13, 2010
in VIDD News
Creating more lifelike conditions to grow tricky bacteria
In the human body, bacterial cells outnumber our own cells by ten to one.
Sept. 6, 2010
in VIDD News
A look at the genetics of HIV with Paul T. Edlefsen
HIV’s high level of genetic diversity, the large difference in nucleotide sequence from strain to strain of the virus, presents a particular challenge to the HIV vaccine field.
Sept. 6, 2010
in VIDD News
Sorting out respiratory illnesses in daycares
As any parent of young children knows, schools and daycares are rife with all sorts of bacterial and viral infections.
Sept. 6, 2010
in VIDD News
The immune system’s diverse response to HSV-2
While antiviral drugs exist to treat the symptoms caused by herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2), the drugs have no effect on the disease’s spread and no effective vaccine has been developed.
Sept. 6, 2010
in VIDD News
Modeling benefits of vaginal microbicides
While a completely effective method to prevent HIV infection remains elusive, vaginal microbicide gels have shown promise of reducing HIV acquisition in women in recent studies.
Sept. 6, 2010
in VIDD News
Detecting drug-resistant H1N1 influenza
Strains of influenza that are resistant to standard anti-flu drugs have been a major problem in some flu seasons, especially among immunocompromised populations.
Sept. 6, 2010
in VIDD News
HIV’s influence on herpes shedding
It has long been known that there are complex interactions between HIV and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) infections.
Aug. 15, 2010
in VIDD News
Quantifying Neutralization
In the hunt for an effective HIV vaccine, elucidating why certain candidates don’t work is important to inform future vaccine development.
Aug. 15, 2010
in VIDD News
Early evaluations of a peptide-based HIV vaccine
While some successful vaccines include the entirety of the virus of interest, either in a killed or inactivated form, candidate HIV vaccines generally include only a piece of the virus, for safety reasons.
Aug. 10, 2010
in VIDD News
Edlefsen joins growing Population Sciences program
Dr. Paul Edlefsen, a biostatistics and bioinformatics researcher, recently joined the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's Public Health Sciences and Vaccine and Infectious Disease divisions.
Aug. 2, 2010
in Center News
Risks of positive HIV tests in HIV vaccine trials volunteers
Past recipients of HIV vaccines from vaccine trials are likely to test positive for HIV despite not actually being infected, according to new research from VIDD staff scientist Dr. Cristine Cooper and colleagues.
July 21, 2010
in VIDD News
Opportunistic infections in transplant recipients
ELISPOT is a commonly used assay for measuring immune responses, but there is no consensus among researchers as to what output indicates a true “response.”
July 15, 2010
in VIDD News
Hutchinson Center grows to five scientific divisions
The three-year-old Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has become the Hutchinson Center's fifth scientific research division and has been renamed the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division (VIDD). The other four divisions are Clinical Research, Public Health Sciences, Basic Sciences and Human Biology.
July 6, 2010
in News Releases
A look at the China Initiative and Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease with Lena Yao
In the milieu of global health research conducted by VIDD researchers, the China Initiative is a relatively new player.
July 5, 2010
in VIDD News
Influenza vaccine in young children
Immunizing young children against influenza is an important public health objective, particularly since children are among the most severely affected during flu outbreaks
June 17, 2010
in VIDD News
Defining a positive immune response for ELISPOT
ELISPOT is a commonly used assay for measuring immune responses, but there is no consensus among researchers as to what output indicates a true “response.”
June 15, 2010
in VIDD News
Adenovirus infection may be more common than suspected
Human adenoviruses come in more than 50 known types, and are common and usually harmless in healthy adults.
June 15, 2010
in VIDD News
Vaginal microbes in women who have sex with women
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common vaginal infection that is associated with adverse outcomes in pregnancy and increased risk of HIV acquisition, yet the acquisition and etiology of the disease remain poorly understood.
June 15, 2010
in VIDD News
ART dampens HIV transmission
The Partners in Prevention study looked at nearly 3,400 African couples where one partner had both HIV-1 and HSV-2, and the other partner was HIV-negative.
June 12, 2010
in VIDD News
A new technique for herpes detection
While the herpes virus HSV is very common around the world, infection in newborns can be dangerous or fatal. Clinicians therefore need good methods to prevent mother-to-child HSV transmission, which is most likely to occur during childbirth if the mother is shedding virus at the time.
June 7, 2010
in VIDD News
The multitalented milk thistle
Current therapies for chronic hepatitis C liver disease are expensive, have significant side effects, and are frequently ineffective.
June 7, 2010
in VIDD News
Dissociating bocavirus from respiratory disease
Human bocavirus was first discovered in 2005, but it is unclear if it causes disease in humans. Studies have shown the presence of bocavirus DNA in patients with cold-like illnesses, leading many researchers to believe it causes respiratory disease.
June 1, 2010
in VIDD News
Scoring symptoms of the common cold in children
The high number of diverse respiratory pathogens associated with the common cold poses a challenge for researchers studying viral upper respiratory infections (URIs).
June 1, 2010
in VIDD News
Novel H1N1 virus in the immunocompromised
As a new player on the viral scene, novel influenza A/H1N1 still presents many mysteries. Like many infectious viruses, novel H1N1 is likely more dangerous to immunocompromised people, such as stem cell transplant recipients, than to the general public.
May 4, 2010
in VIDD News
Understanding Kaposi sarcoma in Ugandan children
The picture of HIV and its associated infections looks very different in Africa than in the developed world, but historically, studies to characterize diseases or disease characteristics unique to resource-poor countries have lagged behind their description in richer countries.
May 3, 2010
in VIDD News
The positive effects of an imperfect vaccine
Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) is very common in some areas, with infection rates reaching nearly 50% in sub-Saharan Africa.
May 3, 2010
in VIDD News
A look at the collaborative nature of the HVTN with Shelly Karuna
The HVTN pre-dates and is an integral piece of VIDI, but also includes numerous sites, investigators and collaborators from other institutions around the world.
May 3, 2010
in VIDD News
Tracking viruses outside the respiratory tract
Respiratory viruses can cause severe disease or even death in stem cell transplant recipients, because their immune systems are severely depressed.
May 1, 2010
in VIDD News
The impact of APOE genotype on herpes
Several studies have found an association between Apolipoprotein E (APOE), a lipid-binding protein involved in the transport of dietary fats and sterols, and Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection.
April 21, 2010
in VIDD News
The cycles of vaginal microbes
The human vagina is colonized by a mixture of different bacteria, including a few Lactobacillus species in healthy women.
April 15, 2010
in VIDD News
A look at the intersection of global health and infectious diseases with Jessica Yager
Dr. Jessica Yager, VIDI senior fellow, has spent the last several years studying a variety of infectious diseases that plague people in developing countries.
April 5, 2010
in VIDD News
Dissecting the anti-hepatitis effects of milk thistle
Various topical microbicide gels for vaginal use have been studied as candidates to prevent HIV infection in women but were found either ineffective or harmful. But certain conditions in the trials such as improper use of the gel might mask the gels’ true efficacy.
March 30, 2010
in VIDD News
The immune response of HSV resistance
Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) is a common sexually transmitted disease that generally establishes a lifelong latent infection with periods of reactivation, often with genital ulcers
March 15, 2010
in VIDD News
The function of viral core protein during acute Hepatitis C Virus infection
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease of the liver caused by the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). Initial infection is often asymptomatic and occasionally self-resolves, but about 85% of cases result in chronic disease that can progress to cirrhosis or liver cancer.
March 15, 2010
in VIDD News
The public health impact of reducing mother-to-child HIV transmission
In the developed world, medical interventions allow HIV positive women to safely give birth with low risk of infecting their babies.
March 10, 2010
in VIDD News
Confounding adjustments
When trying to interpret study results, statisticians have to take into account the fact that trials don’t happen in a vacuum.
March 4, 2010
in VIDD News
A look at flu transmission and vaccine efficacy with Jonathan Sugimoto
As the past year’s events surrounding the novel H1N1 pandemic proved, simply having a good vaccine for a highly infectious disease is not sufficient if that vaccine is in short supply.
March 1, 2010
in VIDD News
A look at the epidemiology of meningitis in Africa with Nicole Basta
Bacterial meningitis is a dangerous disease – even with treatment, 10 percent of patients will die.
March 1, 2010
in VIDD News
A look at the rules of social contact with Gail Potter
Think about all the people you came into contact with today – your family members, friends, co-workers, jostling strangers on the bus, the barista who made your coffee
March 1, 2010
in VIDD News
A new tool to track virus specific cells
To understand the normal life cycle of HIV in human cells, researchers have to be able to visualize the virus and immune cells that respond to it.
Feb. 16, 2010
in VIDD News
HSV-2 Can Come in Multiples
The canonical view of herpes simplex virus 2, a common infectious virus that can cause painful genital lesions and also increases a person’s chance of acquiring HIV, is that of a sleeping giant, a virus that lies dormant for the majority of the time and occasionally flares up in one spot, leading to the external symptoms of visible and painful lesions.
Feb. 15, 2010
in VIDD News
HSV-2 Can Come in Multiples
The canonical view of herpes simplex virus 2, a common infectious virus that can cause painful genital lesions and also increases a person’s chance of acquiring HIV, is that of a sleeping giant, a virus that lies dormant for the majority of the time and occasionally flares up in one spot, leading to the external symptoms of visible and painful lesions.
Feb. 15, 2010
in VIDD News
Characterizing the immune response to HSV-2
Recent work has suggested that a certain kind of immune cell, CD8+ T cells, is important in keeping the chronic infection by herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) in check in the body.
Feb. 5, 2010
in VIDD News
Characterizing the immune response to HSV-2
Recent work has suggested that a certain kind of immune cell, CD8+ T cells, is important in keeping the chronic infection by herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) in check in the body.
Feb. 5, 2010
in VIDD News
Herpes drug fails to reduce HIV transmission
The complex interplay between infections with herpes virus HSV-2 and HIV is only recently coming to light. Epidemiologic studies in the last few years have shown that HSV-2 infection increases a person’s chances of both acquiring and transmitting HIV.
Feb. 4, 2010
in VIDD News
A look at the statistics of clinical trials and lab assays with Yunda Huang
VIDI staff scientist Dr. Yunda Huang is both a people person and a numbers person.
Feb. 1, 2010
in VIDD News
A model infection H1N1
In the 2009 novel H1N1 pandemic, several research groups used mathematical and computer models to predict the effect of different possible vaccination strategies.
Jan. 29, 2010
in VIDD News
A model Infection
In the 2009 novel H1N1 pandemic, several research groups used mathematical and computer models to predict the effect of different possible vaccination strategies.
Jan. 29, 2010
in VIDD News
A look at “vectorology” with Greg Spies
VIDI staff scientist Dr. Greg Spies is working on building a better HIV vaccine, starting from the individual DNA and protein pieces that make up the vaccine molecules.
Dec. 7, 2009
in VIDD News
Exploring new treatments for CMV
Cytomegalovirus, CMV, is a common herpes virus that can be dangerous for immunocompromised people such as those receiving stem cell transplants.
Dec. 1, 2009
in VIDD News
A lab test for HIV protection
While male condoms prevent HIV transmission fairly effectively, they are not always an option for women in some regions.
Nov. 30, 2009
in VIDD News
Factors of HIV progression
The transition from HIV infection to AIDS is variable among infected people, ranging from a few years after initial infection to living symptom-free for 20 or more years, as in so-called long-term non progressors.
Nov. 27, 2009
in VIDD News
Baby flu
Influenza can be very dangerous for small infants, but the flu vaccine is not given to babies under six months old.
Nov. 19, 2009
in VIDD News
Dissecting the immune response to an infectious fungus
Most of us inhale ubiquitous fungal spores every day, but for those with healthy immune systems, these events usually pass unnoticed.
Nov. 19, 2009
in VIDD News
A new route of infection for Hepatitis C Virus
Every year nearly 200 million people are infected with Hepatitis C virus (HCV), an event which often leads to liver disease.
Nov. 10, 2009
in VIDD News
Bacterial effects on pregnancy and HIV shedding
The vagina is normally colonized by lactobacilli, which produce lactic acid and maintain the normal low pH of the vaginal ecosystem.
Nov. 2, 2009
in VIDD News
The wide reach of Seattle's global health network
Recently, Dr. Ken Stuart, president of the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, led a study to help inform the members of the Washington Global Health Alliance about each others’ work around the world.
Nov. 2, 2009
in VIDD News
A look at co-factors of HIV disease with Ruanne Barnabas
The HIV epidemic takes a heavy toll in Sub-Saharan Africa as compared to many other parts of the world – this region is home to nearly two-thirds of the world’s HIV positive people.
Nov. 2, 2009
in VIDD News
Exploring HSV Viremia
While herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in healthy people often results only in mouth or genital ulcers, the virus can occasionally spread to the rest of the body.
Nov. 1, 2009
in VIDD News
Evaluating the impact of efficacy dilution in microbicide trials
Various topical microbicide gels for vaginal use have been studied as candidates to prevent HIV infection in women but were found either ineffective or harmful. But certain conditions in the trials such as improper use of the gel might mask the gels’ true efficacy.
Oct. 9, 2009
in VIDD News
Accounting for the missing
In trials to test the efficacy of HIV vaccines, one of the measures of interest is the effect of vaccination on viral load, or the amount of virus present in an infected person’s body, for those participants who contract HIV.
Oct. 8, 2009
in VIDD News
Identifying the unique qualities of HIV-resistant individuals
A small number of individuals, called “exposed seronegatives”, remain uninfected despite being repeatedly exposed to HIV-1.
Oct. 5, 2009
in VIDD News
IRF-3: a key target for global immune disruption by HIV-1
HIV-1 efficiently promotes infection through its ability to evade and disable the first anti-viral immune responses provided by the innate immune system.
Oct. 5, 2009
in VIDD News
The genotype of liver disease
Approximately 170 million people, or three percent of the world’s population, is chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
Oct. 5, 2009
in VIDD News
Tracking down resistant strains
VIDI scientists are working to develop new techniques to rapidly detect strains of novel H1N1 with resistance to oseltamivir, the common antiviral drug.
Oct. 5, 2009
in VIDD News
A search for better biomarkers with Holly Janes
Recent advances in genetic and molecular biology laboratory techniques heralded the promise of better biomarkers for disease diagnosis and treatment decisions.
Oct. 5, 2009
in VIDD News
Detecting human bocavirus in new places
Bocavirus was discovered in 2005 and has been linked to respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, although whether it actually causes these diseases remains unclear. VIDI scientists, led by affiliate investigator Dr. Janet Englund, looked for bocavirus in children aged 2-11, using sensitive PCR on nasal swabs and saliva.
Sept. 30, 2009
in VIDD News
Milk thistle and the ailing liver
Medications for liver disease from chronic hepatitis C are often not effective, so in many cases patients turn to silymarin, an extract from milk thistle seeds.
Sept. 30, 2009
in VIDD News
HSV’s Means of Evasion
Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) is often a lifelong infection, flaring up to cause genital lesions and dying down again quickly.
Sept. 30, 2009
in VIDD News
Children first
As any parent knows, youngsters are experts at spreading infectious diseases, both among themselves and to adults.
Sept. 15, 2009
in VIDD News
Modeling pandemic flu
New modeling and epidemiological data have revealed that vaccinating approximately 70 percent of the U.S. population may stem the tide of pandemic H1N1 flu, prioritizing children as first recipients of the vaccine as they are the most aggressive spreaders of the disease.
Sept. 10, 2009
in VIDD News
Probing T cell responses to HIV
Among the myriad challenges to creating an effective HIV vaccine, the virus’ genetic diversity is one of the biggest.
Sept. 9, 2009
in VIDD News
A look at parainfluenza and new sample collection techniques for respiratory virus studies with Angela Campbell
For immunocompromised people, every cough and sniffle poses a threat.
Sept. 7, 2009
in VIDD News
Evaluating an antibiotic switch
Patients undergoing donor bone marrow transplants, or allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplants (HCTs), are at significant risk for death or illness from bacterial infection following the transplant.
Aug. 31, 2009
in VIDD News
Calculating the good
In global health research, many new tools and interventions are developed in the hopes of decreasing or eliminating devastating diseases.
Aug. 18, 2009
in VIDD News
An ORFeome approach to identifying T-cell immune responses
Knowing which viral proteins produce the best immune response for fighting disease is essential in viral vaccine design.
Aug. 15, 2009
in VIDD News
Sifting through the immune response to fungal infection
The invasive fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is inhaled into the lungs as dry spores and, in immunocompromised people, can germinate and lead to a dangerous fungal infection.
Aug. 15, 2009
in VIDD News
Low-dose challenge experiments have the power to detect vaccine effects
Evaluating simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) in nonhuman primates is an important step in developing effective HIV vaccines.
Aug. 15, 2009
in VIDD News
Flu infections after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Respiratory virus infections are a major cause of death and morbidity for patients who receive hematopoietic cell (a type of blood stem cell) transplantation; however, the type of transplantation may affect the patient’s ability to fight these infections.
Aug. 9, 2009
in VIDD News
A look at new approaches to HIV vaccines with Ann Duerr
VIDI member Dr. Ann Duerr is pursuing a novel approach to HIV vaccination using an unlikely assistant – the tonsils.
Aug. 3, 2009
in VIDD News
Shedding the bias in HSV-2 studies
Clinical studies of HSV-2 often classify populations of HSV-2 positive individuals by using the term “shedder” for those who release detectable levels of the virus from their genital mucosa at least once over several samples.
Aug. 3, 2009
in VIDD News
How HSV paves the way for HIV
The human herpesvirus HSV-2 increases likelihood of HIV acquisition, but surprisingly, antiviral drugs against HSV-2 have no effect on the risk of acquiring HIV.
Aug. 3, 2009
in VIDD News
SHARE: a new algorithm for genetic association studies
Genetic associations with diseases are identified by studies that link variations in the genetic code, called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), to disease-carrying individuals.
July 15, 2009
in VIDD News
Condoms offer some protection against HSV-2
Condoms protect against many sexually transmitted diseases, but their ability to prevent infection by the herpes simplex virus HSV-2 has remained unclear.
July 13, 2009
in VIDD News
A look at mathematical models of pathogenesis with Josh Schiffer
Computational models in herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) research are revealing new insights into how this virus maintains its long-term balance of latency and reactivation inside the human body.
July 6, 2009
in VIDD News
A look at invasive fungal infections with Tobias Hohl
VIDI’s newest assistant member, Dr. Tobias Hohl, is trying to track down the cells and molecules used by human immune system to battle invasive fungal infections, in an effort to improve care for immunocompromised patients who contract fungal diseases
July 6, 2009
in VIDD News
Insidious, fastidious bacteria
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common infection among women and is associated with increased risk of preterm labor during pregnancy.
July 6, 2009
in VIDD News
HIV is a risk factor for Syphilis reinfection in men who have sex with men
From 2000 to 2006, the number of syphilis cases in the U.S. increased by 50% from an all-time low of 2.1 cases per 100,000 to 3.3 cases per 100,000.
June 1, 2009
in VIDD News
Accommodating variability statistically
Many medical tests measure the presence of some biological marker to diagnose patients with a given disease, for example, prostate specific antigen is used to screen for prostate cancer.
Jan. 1, 2009
in VIDD News
Accommodating variability statistically
Many medical tests measure the presence of some biological marker to diagnose patients with a given disease, for example, prostate specific antigen is used to screen for prostate cancer.
Jan. 1, 2009
in VIDD News
- Diseases
& Research
- Treatment
& Support
- About Us
- Labs &
Projects
- Events &
Community Programs
- How You
Can Help Us
The Hutchinson Center's world-renowned scientists are discovering new ways to detect, prevent and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and many other diseases.
- License Our Discoveries
The Hutchinson Center's world-renowned researchers work together to pursue lifesaving therapies that will help eliminate cancer and related diseases.
The Hutchinson Center's clinical research breakthroughs are delivered to patients through our treatment arm, the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. This collaboration combines the strengths of the Hutchinson Center, UW Medicine and Seattle Children's.
You can help eliminate cancer and related diseases by attending Hutchinson Center events and participating in our other fundraising and community efforts.
- Divisions
The Hutchinson Center's pioneering researchers push the boundaries of science to find new ways to prevent, detect and treat cancer and related diseases.
Private support is critical to fund new research ideas and innovations, accelerating our ability to make lifesaving discoveries.
