Department of Medicine
Infectious Diseases Research
Division of Infectious Diseases faculty perform clinical as well as basic science research. Close scientific collaborative relationships exist with the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, the Department of Immunobiology, and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.
Our researchers have access to a diagnostic laboratory; biostatistical, bioinformatics and computing core services; flow cytometry, microscopy, genomics and proteomics cores; a clinical translational science center that supports clinical trials; and centers and institutes, including the Sarver Heart Center, the Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, the Arizona Center on Aging, and the University of Arizona Cancer Center.
Research Areas
Faculty conduct a broad range of research from laboratory-based bench research to clinical and epidemiological studies. HIV-related research is a major strength of the division, which currently has ongoing studies of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), retention in care, cardiovascular prevention and basic immunopathogenesis. The Valley Fever Center for Excellence also conducts research on treatment and prevention of this fungal disease.
Abundant resources are available at the university to sustain robust research efforts, including:
- A clinical and translational sciences research center that supports clinical trials
- Animal care facilities and a veterinary diagnostic laboratory
- Biostatistical, bioinformatics and computing core services
- Flow cytometry, microscopy, genomics and proteomics cores
- University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy
- Multiple centers including the Sarver Heart Center, Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, Center on Aging, Cancer Center and Biorepository
A variety of HIV-related research is performed by division faculty ranging from clinical studies of optimal implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and other interventions to reduce coronary artery disease, to basic immunology research aimed at finding a cure for HIV infection. Many of these studies draw upon the patient population that is served by the Petersen HIV Clinics.
One of the missions of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence is to promote research that will improve the care of people with Valley fever (also known as coccidioidomycosis, or cocci) and eventually prevent the disease. Ongoing studies include a clinical trial of empiric treatment for Valley fever along with routine treatment of community-acquired pneumonia, as well as more basic studies to investigate the genetics associated with disseminated disease and to develop a vaccine against coccidioidomycosis — both in animals and humans.
Kissing bug bites can trigger serious allergic reactions in humans as well as transmit disease to people and their pets. Bugs infected with the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi can cause Chagas disease, which has acute and chronic phases. Acute symptoms include fever, chills, fatigue, body aches, nausea, diarrhea or vomiting within several weeks of a bite. One-third of people with Chagas may suffer chronic issues that may lead to an enlarged heart or intestinal cavity, which is why it’s important to catch symptoms early. Eleven species of kissing bugs exist across 28 U.S. states, including Arizona. Among ongoing projects are an effort to determine and evaluate the emergence of a kissing bug species, Triatoma recurva, in Bisbee, Arizona, and monitoring kissing bug home intrusion in Tucson.
Our Transplant Infectious Diseases program, led by Mohanad Al-Obaidi, MD, MPH, is dedicated to improving the care of transplant patients through research. Ongoing studies are aimed at understanding the influence of different therapies on clinical outcomes of invasive fungal infections, the prevalence and clinical outcomes of de novo coccidiodomycosis infections in solid organ transplant patients, a meta-analysis of treatment outcomes in drug-resistant CMV (cytomegalovirus) infections, and predisposing factors and clinical outcomes of nocardiosis in solid organ transplant patients.
Clinical Trials
In recent years, the Division of Infectious Diseases has overseen clinical trials in Valley fever and other fungal infections, HIV and PrEP, and Chagas disease, among others.
Clinical trials often involve a research study conducted to evaluate a medical procedure or medical product, such as a drug. Not all clinical trials involve drugs or interventions. Some studies use surveys or evaluate medical records to find new and better ways to help people. Others recruit healthy subjects, or controls, to better evaluate and compare results with those of non-healthy subjects.