Immunology Core

The mission of the Immunology Core is to provide the Emory community with the highest quality assessments of immunological function necessary for the study of the pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention of immunodeficiency virus infections in humans and non-human primates. The core services include; assays of cellular immune function, flow cytometry services, and immunological assay education and training opportunities. The core is located at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center.

CORE CONTACTS

Core Director

Dr. John Altman
Email: john.altman@emory.edu
Office: 404-727-9581

Core Assistant Director and Primary Contact For Core Services

Dr. Chris Ibegbu
Email: cibegbu@rmy.emory.edu
Office: 404-727-9426 Lab: 404-727-8854

SERVICES

•  Optimization, standardization, and validation of assays of cell-mediated immunity including ELISA, lympho-proliferation, CTL, MHC tetramer, ELISpot, and intracellular cytokine staining assays in humans and appropriate non-human primates.
•  Monoclonal antibody and Ig-fusion protein production at the 100mg to1g scale, for both in-vivo and in-vitro applications.
•  Access to well maintained and calibrated multi-parameter analytical flow cytometers capable of 4 to 12 color analyses.
•  Access to state-of-the-art cell sorting services.
•  Custom antibody labeling services.
•  Individual or small group training in the use of flow cytometry instrumentation, data analysis software, data interpretation, and presentation.
•  Training in immunological assay design, development, methods, and data interpretation for both local and international investigators.

IMMUNOLOGY FUNCTION ASSAYS

•  Lympho-proliferation: $40
•  CTL assay: $50
•  MHC tetramer staining: $25
•  ELISpot: $82
•  Intracellular cytokine (ICC) staining assays: $22
•  ELISA
•  Basic immuno-phenotyping: $20
•  PBMC isolation: $5/10mL blood

FLOW CYTOMETRY - Cell Sorting and Equipment Available

•  LSR-IIs: LSR-II multicolor flow cytometry instruments, equipped with three lasers and PMTs for detection of 11 or 13 colors. $50/hour
•  FACS Caliburs: Four color FACS Calibur flow cytometers. $27/hour
•  Sorters: BD FACSAria (housed in BSL-3 laboratory) for infected and non-infected sorting. DakoCytomation MoFlo for non-infected sorting. $126/hour
•  Liquid Chromatography: Pharmacia FPLC for protein purification. Shimadzu HPLC for peptide analysis and high pressure size exclusion chromatography. Millipore Tangential Flow system for rapid concentration of proteins and tissue supernatants by ultra-filtration.
•  Zeiss Axioskop II microscope (with brightfield, epifluorescence, and contrast optics) outfitted with a Spot RT digital video camera, Dage DC 330 3-chip, chilled color CCD video camera, and a Zeiss MC80 35mm photomicrography system. Zeiss Axioskop for brightfield and epifluorescence microscopy.
•  Nikon TE 300 inverted microscope, outfitted with a Spot RT digital camera and a Zeiss laser confocal microscope.
•  ABI Prism 7500, 7700 and 7900 Sequence Detection System PCR instrument. BioRad iCycler iQ.

FLOW CYTOMETRY – Other

•  Monoclonal antibody and Ig-fusion production at the 100mg to 1g scale.
•  Library of commercial immunological reagents, including fluorescently labeled antibodies and ELISA/ELISpot reagents.
•  Novel immunological reagents that are not commercially available, including MHC tetramers, fluorescent chemokines, and custom-labeled antibodies.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

•  Instrument operation
•  Assays
•  Data analysis and presentation
  

The Emory Vaccine Center has five scientific cores, each specializing in a particular research function such as laboratory assays or vaccine trials management. The cores are funded through various sources, and hence function somewhat differently, but all are vital to the vaccine research process at Emory and at other institutions throughout the U.S. and the world.