International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Group Core Laboratories

The PACTG provides access to laboratories with state-of-the-art expertise in specialized assay development and application. The PACTG funds these core laboratories and through them centralizes the virology, immunology, and pharmacology research specimen analysis.

The core laboratory approach affords uniformity of data, efficiency with reduced cost, streamlined specimen tracking, quality assurance, and rapid incorporation of novel techniques.

In addition to routine laboratory testing and development of innovative assays, methodologies currently used in the Core Laboratories include:

• The Immunology Core Laboratories: LPAs, CTLs, and NK/LAK assays, serum plasma marker measurements, aptosis measurements, 3-color flow cytometry, cytokine production assays, PBMC assays, preparation of lysates for RT-PCR, measurements of neutrophil and monocyte function, preparation and storage of PBMCs, placental and stem cell preparation and expansion.

• The Pharmacology Core Laboratories: accepted clinical pharmacology parameters as well as development of methods for parent drug, metabolites, and novel therapeutic compounds.

• The Virology Core Laboratories: qualitative and quantitative HIV-1 culture, quantification of serum p24 antigen by assay, qualitative DNA-PCR measurements, quantification of plasma HIV-1 RNA, MT-2 cell assays, neutralization tests, genotypic and phenotypic drug susceptability assays.