Justin Akin
jakin@mednet.ucla.edu
(310) 794-7195
Provides interested researchers with well-characterized tissue samples from gastrointestinal mucosal sites for study. The clinical component involves consultation in study design, recruitment of appropriate patient cohorts identified by the user, and assistance in submission of individualized human subjects protection applications. The laboratory component provides optimized techniques for obtaining fresh and frozen samples from HIV seropositive subjects and seronegative controls.
Site-specific biopsies of esophageal, stomach, duodenal, ileal, colonic and rectal tissue with paired peripheral blood samples can be obtained for investigators, once appropriate approvals have been secured. Single-cell collections, such as mononuclear mucosal preparations for flow cytometry, or immunoglobulin secretions from saliva or rectal mucosa, can be collected on a prospective basis for interested investigators. Other mucosal sites (pharyngeal, pulmonary, vaginal, urinary system) and other patient populations (including women and minorities) will be available through a network of supportive clinicians.
