Infectious Diseases

Infectious Diseases in the 21st Century: evolving therapies for new and reemerging threats.

In 2007, more than 33 million people were living with AIDS. That same year, 2.1 million died from AIDS-related illnesses. Once thought to be under control, tuberculosis is now responsible for two million fatalities each year, and malaria, the leading cause of death in developing nations, kills at least one million people annually. Combined, these and other infectious diseases are the second-leading cause of death worldwide.

Researchers at the ONPRC are uncovering how these illnesses work and developing new treatments that can help protect our bodies from contracting and succumbing to these diseases. We are investigating how microbes adapt to their environments, the relationship between climate change and the spread of insect-borne diseases, and methods that best protect weakened or damaged immune systems.

With these innovative research efforts, we may one day combat the devastating effects of infectious disease. Our primate models allow us to discover and understand the complexities of viruses and to create vaccines that protect the most vulnerable among us.