TRAINING
TRIOH participants have an extensive track record of training and exchange of doctoral and postdoctoral students and exchange on a regional, European and international level. At least 5 partners (Witvrouw, Debyser, Engels, Kaptein, Mouscadet) have been coordinating or involved in Marie Curie Training sites.
The participants, their expertise, the trainers, the capacity for trainees, the expected time frame of training, and the expected man months that will be spent to training are indicated. The justification of the training budget is based on this table, although the total budget is calculated for a 36 months’ period. Some trainers are expected to be operating only after the first 18 months.
Doctoral and postdoctoral research students who have synthesized new compounds in one of the partner labs, can benefit to great extent from the possibility to evaluate the potential inhibitory effect of their compounds against the replication of HIV in cell culture. Students who study compounds with known anti-HIV activity can profit from the identification of the mechanism of action of their compound. Students who study early steps of viral replication and viral integration or antiviral drug resistance in general can use the collection of established and candidate drugs as well as a collection of laboratory and clinical HIV strains as well as the proprietary novel assays and technology being developed within the consortium. Exchange students will be trained in the different aspects of HIV research and anti-HIV chemotherapy and will have at the same time the ability to perform part of their (post)doctoral research work at one of the training sites. During a proposed time frame of 6 months to one year the anti-HIV activity and the mechanism of action of a particular compound can be determined.
Potential deliverables of research work carried out at our proposed training sites are:
1. After a first-line evaluation of antiviral activity in standardized cell assay systems using 1 or 2 established laboratory strains, complemented by a second-line evaluation of candidate lead compounds against various wild-type and drug-resistant virus strains, we are able to detect active “lead” compounds. This training can be provided by the Witvrouw and Esté labs on request of the student’s supervisor who is a TRIoH partner.
2. Once a selective inhibitor of HIV replication has been identified, experiments will be initiated to unravel at what stage of the viral life cycle the compounds act and to clarify the molecular target of action. Depending on the target students will be sent to one (or more) of the specialized partner labs. The WP coordinator will be responsible for choosing the training site in agreement with the partner of choice and the student's supervisor.
3. Based on the insight in the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of the “lead” compounds, combined with the insight in the molecular coordinates of their target site, it is possible through the aid of molecular modeling, to further design and refine the optimal antiviral drug candidate(s). The student may return to his/her home lab to perform further chemistry or in mutual agreement in a partner’s lab.
CV Candidate
Copyright © Katholieke Universiteit Leuven | reacties op de inhoud: Peter Bogaerts
Realisatie: Bruno Hoste| Laatste wijziging:
21-02-2006
URL: http://www.kuleuven.be/molvirgen/projects/trioh/trainingtr.htm
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