AIDS RESEARCH CENTER

The AIDS Research Center (ARC) was established in April 1988 to reinforce research activities on HIV/ AIDS. This center, currently consisting of four divisions, is def ined to target HIV- and other retrovirus-related diseases. The principal objective of ARC is to holistically generate and lead multi-scale, complex system infection biology which can drive HIV control. Current activities of ARC include surveillance and epidemiological analyses on HIV infection in Asia and Africa as well as Japan, assurance of HIV/HTLV infection diagnostics sensitivity and accuracy, development of disease markers and monitoring domestic drug-resistant HIV variants, research on replication and pathogenesis mechanisms of HIV and related viruses, and deconvolution of complex system virus-host interactions comprising utility of animal AIDS models and understanding of antiviral immunity. Extended from this, next-generation immune- and disease-modulating approaches that may synergize with drug and vaccine R&D are under way. ARC performs multifaceted collaborations with tier-1 overseas and domestic counterpart research laboratories. In conjunction with JICA, ARC also annually holds a training course, “Strengthening laboratory techniques and surveillance system for global control of HIV and related infectious diseases”, for researchers and laboratory workers mainly in African and Asian countries.

DIVISION I (LABORATORY OF HIV SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL)

The main activity of this laboratory is to analyze and comprehend domestic and international prevalence of HIV and other retroviral infections. This is attained through establishment of stoichiometric models and analyses on molecular epidemiology and genome evolution. Linked with these, the division leads a nation-wide surveillance of drug-resistant HIV variants as a foundation of domestic HIV control.

DIVISION II (LABORATORY OF ANTIVIRAL IMMUNITY)

This laboratory contributes to quality control and maintenance of laboratory diagnostics and testing on HIV and other retroviral infections which manifest high diversif ication. Incorporating recent trends in drug based HIV control, the division extensively works on elucidation of human antiviral immunity, which also potentially leads to generation of novel immunological biomarkers. 

DIVISION III (LABORATORY OF VIRUS-HOST INTERACTION)

To deconvolute molecular, cellular, in vivo (host/ whole-body) and population-level interactions between HIV and other retroviruses versus humans/hosts, this laboratory performs cutting-edge cross-disciplinary research on complex systems biology which can boot novel immune- and disease-modulating approaches. As a related extrapolation, the division has also been pursuing a training course-based accumulation of international collaboration for these three decades.

DIVISION IV (LABORATORY OF MOLECULAR VIROLOGY)

Based on strong grounds of molecular biology and molecular virology, this laboratory addresses architecture and function of elements composing HIV and other retroviruses. Furthermore, incorporating vision on currently underestimated patterns of infectious disease preparedness, the division also performs cutting-edge research on retroviral pathogenesis-associated host factors and novel model organisms, aiming for disease control.

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