Dopamine system as reporter of HIV status and inflammation in Meth abusers

2021 NIDA Summer Research Internship Program Systems Biology Approaches to identify Biological Processes associated with Genomic effects of Dopamine in HIV-infected Macrophages Abstract Macrophages, microglia and other immune cells that are targets of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection express receptors to dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is highly increased in the brain of stimulant drug abusers, including Methamphetamine.

Our lab has performed single cell CITE-seq experiments to determine the role of dopamine in reactivating on maintaining the viral reservoir.

The Summer Internship student will learn to analyze large sets of data to produce integrated models of biomolecular networks.

The student will be virtually trained to administer systems biology strategies to big data and learn state-of-the-art methods for predicting gene networks expressing synchronized behaviors.

At the end of the internship, the student will master a systems biology software, while exercising critical thinking, and produce results from our data set.