Welcome to the Humanized Mouse Model of HIV Infection

Despite great effort, an ideal animal model in which to study HIV pathogenesis and test vaccine efficacy remains elusive.

(L to R): Ed Seung, Maud Deruaz, Andrew Tager, Sarah Brooks, Andrew Luster, Hae-sook Shin, Xun Zhou

Recently, we and others have developed a markedly improved humanized mouse model of HIV by transplanting human CD34+ stem cells and autologous human thymic grafts into immunodeficient mice (see Brainard DM et al. Induction of robust cellular and humoral virus-specific adaptive immune responses in human immunodeficiency virus-infected humanized BLT mice. J Virol 2009; 83:7305-21).

In this model, we have achieved robust repopulation of mouse lymphoid tissues with human immune cells, and have generated robust anti-HIV cellular and humoral immune responses in these humanized mice. We believe this improved humanized mouse model will allow us to study questions regarding the biology of HIV-1 not readily approachable through human studies.

The Ragon Institute Humanized Mouse Program was established in order to further develop this model, and to make it available to the wider Ragon research community. Highly experienced personnel produce these animals and perform experiments in collaboration with Ragon investigators at very reasonable cost.