Moses Turkle Bility

Current HIV/AIDS-Related Research Activities:

My research focuses on investigating the mechanism of HIV-induced immune impairment, reservoir development/maintenance and the ability of myeloid cell (dendritic cell)-based vaccines to eliminate the HIV reservoir in human lymphoid tissues in the human immune system (HIS)-humanized mice. Additionally, my research examines the role of macrophage polarization and associated iron handling in HIV-induced lymphoid tissue fibrosis and the implication for HIV cure strategies. My research focuses on leveraging transplantation biology and regenerative medicine in developing humanized animal models with autologous human immune and other organ systems (i.e., skin, liver, etc.) for studying human pathogens (i.e., HIV, comorbidities such as HBV), human immunity (i.e., induced by live-attenuated virus, induced by intradermal vaccines), human immune response, and tissue pathology. I developed a HIS-humanized mouse model with human primary (thymus) and secondary (spleen) lymphoid tissues and human immune cells (including robust macrophage reconstitution), termed, BLTS-humanized mouse model. The BLTS-humanized mouse model supports in vivo modeling of HIV/AIDS and associated antiretroviral therapy-mediated latent reservoir in lymphoid tissues. Furthermore, the BLTS-humanized mouse model supports HIV-induced pathogenesis in lymphoid and end-organ tissues.