MHRP

Research

MHRP is a broad-based, highly collaborative, and highly integrated research program with strong epidemiology, preclinical and clinical research capabilities.

MHRP oversees all HIV testing for the Army and serves as the Tri-Service Reference Laboratory.

Laboratory Diagnostics

HIV Diagnostics & Reference Laboratory

Vaccine Research | Highlights

The HIV Diagnostics and Reference Laboratory (HDRL) is a College of American Pathologists (CAP) accredited Reference Laboratory that provides testing services to Department of Defense (DoD) providers for DoD personnel and beneficiaries. HDRL now conducts all supplemental confirmatory testing for Force Members and is the final authority for HIV infection status for Active Army, Army Reserve, and National Guard components.

HDRL is responsible for:

  • Technical oversight of HIV screening testing for U.S. Army personnel (approx. 1 million tests per year)
  • HIV testing of 80,000-100,000 specimens per year for the European and Central Commands
  • Clinical monitoring services for Medical Treatment Facilities, outlying clinics, and sister services as requested
  • Performance of all HIV-1 resistance genotype analyses for therapeutic monitoring of all HIV-infected DoD Tri-Service Force Members
  • Maintaining a state-of-the-art clinical diagnostic and monitoring laboratory
  • Development of state-of-art HIV diagnostic algorithms

Vaccine Research

The cutting-edge diagnostics program also supports HIV vaccine initiatives by evaluating, optimizing, and deploying screening/diagnostic algorithms for accurate and early detection of HIV infection in HIV prophylactic vaccine trial participants. In addition to selecting and deploying novel, highly sensitive, robust assays, our labs conduct nuanced molecular testing for end-point analysis to resolve HIV infection status of difficult cases. HDRL provides quality assurance support for all of MHRP's clinical trials and provides technical assistance to the CAP-certified laboratories in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Thailand.

Highlights

  • Ensured the safety of the blood supply used in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan by identification of rapid blood tests used to screen fresh whole blood donors in theater.
  • Initiated third-generation HIV testing to encompass HIV-1, HIV-2, and HIV-1 group O (HIV-1/2 Plus O) and upgraded molecular testing to provide earlier detection of HIV infection (APTIMA HIV-1 RNA qualitative assay).
  • MHRP RV217 protocol, “Early Capture HIV Cohort” (ECHO): Designed and implemented a unique, first-of-its-kind diagnostic approach for acute HIV infection surveillance—collect small plasma blood samples by finger stick twice a week in microvette vials then test for the presence of HIV-1 RNA, independently and in real time, using Gen-Probe’s HIV RNA Qualitative Assay, the most sensitive technique available.
  • MHRP RV230 protocol, “Evaluation of Feasibility and Target Populations for HIV Vaccine Cohort Development in Nigeria”: Developed the diagnostic algorithm for HIV/HCV/HBV and “gold standard” testing and facilitated local lab capacity to execute the study, including technical support, training, and site visits.
  • Serves as diagnostic consultant on HIV and related diseases for the Office of the Surgeon General of the Army, DoD Armed Services Blood Program, Army Blood Program, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), and NIH-sponsored Clinical Trial Networks.

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