Project Summary:
Provide small animal infection models for ESKAPE, TB and select agent bacetrial pathogens to evaluate lead compounds. The models include skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) models (ESKAPE pathogens), pneumonia (ESKAPE and Select Agents) and systemic bacetremia (ESKAPE) models. For M.tb, acute and chronic infection models will be available to assess leads at different stages of M.tb infection.
Provide state of the art analytical services on host response and bacetrial bio-burden distribution to assess and quantify lead compound treatment efficacy. To evaluate the lead compounds in the proposed infection models, we will perform high quality in depth measurement of host response and bacetrial burdens analyses at both the molecular and cellular level. The assays include wound closure measurements, histopathologic assessment of wound healing, host wound healing pathway RNA profiling, reduction of bacetrial burden and in vivo imaging. The data provided will establish a firm baseline for preclinical escalation of lead compounds. All the services provided can be performed under high-level biocontainment.
Animal Models of Infection for CETR
- Skin and Soft Tissue Infection (SSTI) models for E.S.K.A.P.E. pathogens
- Systemic infection model for E.S.K.A.P.E. pathogens:
- Thigh infection (deep soft tissue) model
- Pneumonia model for E.S.K.A.P.E. pathogens (immunosuppression)
- Acute and chronic murine models of inhalational TB
- Systemic and pneumonia models for select agents
Endpoints: Weight loss, mortality, burden (CFU, genomic equiv), histopathology, wound closure, tissue remodeling, gene profiling, cytokines
Biography:
Dr. David S. Perlin, PhD is Executive Director of the Rutgers/New Jersey Medical School’s Public Health Research Institute (PHRI), a 72 year old specialized center for global infectious diseases research. He is also Director of the Rutgers Regional Biocontainment Laboratory, one of thirteen NIH-designated national centers, and a Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. Dr. Perlin helped establish PHRI as a leading tuberculosis and opportunistic infections research organization. His primary expertise is in fungal infections, mechanisms of antifungal drug resistance, and rapid diagnosis of opportunistic drug resistant bacetrial and fungal pathogens in high-risk patients. He has published more than 175 papers and book chapters and has co-authored two books. His laboratory is supported by grants from the NIH, pharma and biotech sectors. He is on the editorial board of several scientific journals and serves on the Board of Directors of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, and Scientific/Medical Advisory Boards for the CLSI, pharma and biotech companies, and PinnacleCare. He is also a member of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Advisory Panel on Bioterrorism and Emerging Infections, the Executive Committee of the Northeast Biodefense Center, and Steering Committee for Microbiology, Immunology & Infectious Diseases of the New York Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Perlin earned an AB degree from Brandeis University in 1976 and a Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1980. He pursued postdoctoral studies at the Yale University School of Medicine and the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Dr. Perlin joined PHRI in 1985; he was named Scientific Director in 1992, President in 2005, and Director of the new PHRI Center in 2006. He was appointed Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics in 2003 and Executive Director of PHRI and the Rutgers Regional Biocontainment Laboratory in 2010. Dr. Perlin was named a Fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences in 2005, and a Visiting Professor at the University of Manchester, UK in 2009.
Contact info:
David Perlin PhD
Executive Director and Professor
Public Health Research Institute Center
New Jersey Medical School - Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
225 Warren Street
Newark, New Jersey 07103
Phone: (973) 854-3200
Fax: 973-854-3201
e-mail: perlinds@njms.rutgers.edu
Steven Park
RBL Managing Director
parkst@njms.rutgers.edu
Phone:973-854-3203
