The HIV Cure Research Center Ghent is very pleased to invite you to the 6th HIV Reservoir Characterization Workshop that will be held in the beautiful city of Ghent, Flanders, Belgium on September 14-16, 2022.
The HIV Reservoir Characterization workshop is for researchers that are interested in low level RNA or DNA quantification by digital PCR and immune monitoring assays especially in the field of HIV research.
This workshop will provide you with a thorough understanding of HIV quantification tools including PCR-based and cell-based functional assays, which are of great importance in therapy monitoring for the development of HIV cure strategies. The participants will receive an intensive training on PCR, qPCR, digital and digital droplet PCR methods with a comprehensive overview of clinical use of these methods and clinical significance of various HIV markers. Novel aspects of HIV persistence such as clonal expansion and integration site will also be discussed and thorough overview of assays to monitor them will be presented. Given that the host’s immune system is an indispensable component of an effective cure strategy, in addition to virological assays, the workshop will present an overview of immunological assays that are commonly used to assess the potency of both the cellular and humoral immune system. The workshop will conclude with comprehensive hands-on sessions that will include statistical data analysis training sessions.
DAY 1 - Sept 14 Virology part 1 | DAY 2 - Sept 15 Virology part 2 and Immunology | DAY 3 - Sept 16 Hands-on training |
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08.00-09.00 | Registration and breakfast | Registration and breakfast | Registration and breakfast |
09.00-10.30 | Clinical studies to evaluate markers of HIV reservoir and how to set up a clinical trial Prof. Dr. Linos Vandekerckhove | Assessing the HIV-1 reservoir by near full-length sequencing methods Ir. Laurens Lambrechts, PhD | Hands-on training: -HIV Flow -UMI -IPDA |
10.30-11.30 | Description of PCR based methods: PCR, QPCR, Digital PCR, digital droplet PCR dr. Sofie Rutsaert | Determination of the site of integration of the HIV-1 provirus Ir. Tine Struyve, PhD | Hands-on training: -HIV Flow -UMI -IPDA |
11.30-12.15 | How to assess the size of the viral reservoir by measuring total and intact HIV DNA Mareva Delporte, PhD | Combining multiple assays to assess the HIV- reservoir: MIP-Seq and STIP-seq dr. Marion Pardons | Hands-on training: -HIV Flow -UMI -IPDA |
12.15-13.15 | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch |
13.15-14.00 | How to assess the size of the viral reservoir by measuring cell associated RNA Willem van Snippenberg, PhD | In vitro and ex vivo HIV killing assays dr. Wojciech Witkowski | Analytical set-up |
14.00-14.45 | How to assess the size of the viral reservoir by FISH-Flow dr. Shringar Rao | An immunological workflow for HIV clinical study samples Dr. Jozefien De Clercq | Presentations of the practical exercise |
14.45-15.00 | Break | Break | Closing Remarks and feedback |
15.00-15.45 | The size of the translational competent viral reservoir by HIV-Flow dr. Marion Pardons | Analysis of T cell metabolism via Seahorse technology dr. Bram Van Den Eeckhout | |
15.45-16.30 | Quantification of the Productive HIV-1 Reservoir by VIP-SPOT Maria Carmen Puertas, PhD | Immunological assays to measure HIV-specific T cell responses Dr. Ane Ogbe | |
16.30-17.00 | Break | Break | |
17.00-18:30 | Practical exercises on how to assess the viral reservoir in cure studies Prof. Dr. Linos Vandekerckhove Dr. Jozefien De Clercq Dr. Nele De Langhe | Practical exercises on how to assess the viral reservoir in cure studies Prof. Dr. Linos Vandekerckhove Dr. Jozefien De Clercq Dr. Nele De Langhe | |
19.30-22.00 | Diner |
The three day workshop will take place in the MRB 2 building at the University Hospital (UZ) Campus in Ghent, Belgium.
How to get there?
Tram 4 drives every 7,5 minutes between Gent-Sint-Pieters station and the heart of UZ Gent. The platform is located near the parking building.
Buses 5 and 8 drive every 15 minutes from the city center (South) and the Heuvelpoort to the edge of the campus, within walking distance of the clinic buildings.
Tram 2 and buses 47, 65 and 67 also have stops around the UZ campus.
Prof. Dr. Linos Vandekerckhove – Head of the HIV Cure Research Center – Ghent University Belgium
Prof. Dr. Sarah Gerlo – PI HIV Cure Research Center – Ghent University – Belgium
Karen Vervisch – Lab Manager – Ghent University Hospital – Belgium
Karen Vervisch
Karen.vervisch@uzgent.be
+32 (0) 9 332 94 25
If your company is interested in sponsoring the HIV Reservoir Characterization workshop, please contact karen.vervisch@uzgent.be
WERELDWIJD LEVEN 37 MILJOEN MENSEN MET HIV. STEUN HET FONDS HIV ONTRAFELEN en Help hen.
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