Human evolution and daily life are characterized by constant exposure to microbes. The Gladstone Infectious Disease Institute advances discovery into the interplay between these microbes and the human body, and how it shapes health and disease.
The institute integrates cutting-edge basic science with translational programs and global partnerships to accelerate new diagnostics, vaccines, and therapies. Their highly collaborative research combines virology, bacteriology, immunology, proteomics, systems biology, bioengineering, and computational approaches. The institute’s goals are to detect, prevent, and treat infectious diseases; prepare for global pandemics; and understand how exposure to microbes can cause chronic diseases.
Researchers at the Gladstones Infectious Disease Institute pioneered the use of antiretroviral therapy for HIV prevention and mounted a swift response to the COVID-19 pandemic by creating novel approaches for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Their innovations include the first host-SARS-CoV-2 interaction map, which revealed existing FDA-approved medications that could serve as antiviral therapies. They also developed an enhanced “combination” mRNA vaccine with improved effectiveness, created rapid diagnostic tools that utilize CRISPR technology and smartphones, and produced virus-like particles that enable researchers to study emerging viral variants.
The institute is also the organizational hub for HOPE, a multinational NIH-sponsored collaboratory to find a cure for HIV. HOPE scientists aim to convert HIV from a pandemic pathogen into a harmless part of the human genome using advanced epigenetic and gene therapy interventions.
Gladstone scientists are dedicated to mentoring the future generation of scientists interested in infectious diseases. Learn more about Gladstone’s training programs.
“Our goal is to discover the most impactful infectious disease mechanisms and translate basic scientific discoveries into cutting-edge vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments.”
Major Scientific Achievements
Led the Global iPrEX Study, Which Established Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) as an Efficient Way to Prevent New HIV Infections
A Gladstone team demonstrated that two antiretroviral drugs, combined in a single tablet, can be used to prevent HIV infection in high-risk populations, providing proof of concept for pre-exposure prophylaxis. The approach has been adopted in San Francisco and worldwide.
Provided First Comprehensive Host-Virus Protein Interaction Maps for HIV, Hepatitis C Virus, SARS-CoV-2 as Blueprint for New Therapeutics
By identifying the human proteins that are required for viral infection, scientists may be able to develop broad antiviral drugs that target the host proteins commonly used by many viruses. In addition, this approach could help them identify previously approved drugs targeting human proteins that may be repurposed for antiviral therapy.
Leveraged CRISPR Technology to Develop Rapid Viral Infection Diagnostic Tools with Mobile Phones
Diagnosing viral infections frequently involves amplifying viral genomes from patient samples, which is time-consuming, expensive, and requires specialized training. Gladstone scientists used CRISPR technology to invent a new technique to detect unamplified viral genomes with just a smartphone camera. This technique could facilitate tracking and controlling viral epidemics, particularly in low-resource settings.
Identified Novel Biomarkers and Possible Therapeutics for Long COVID
After a COVID infection, some individuals experience lingering symptoms that can severely disrupt their lives. A Gladstone team analyzed immune signals and blood cells in patients with long COVID, and found that a subset of their T cells were more inflammatory than those in patients who recovered fully from infection. This suggests that by monitoring T cells it may be possible to diagnose long COVID, and hints at potential therapeutic directions.