Chandravanu Dash, PhD

Chandravanu Dash, PhD serves as PC-SWG Co-Director.  He is a junior faculty basic scientist in the MMC CAHDR with a research focus on the effects of drugs of abuse in HIV infection using in vitro and ex vivo models. His work is an excellent example of non-genetic “personalized care” research (e.g. how substance use contributes to inter-individual differences in outcomes) that complements the group’s pharmacogenomics expertise. The long term goal of our laboratory research is to identify, understand and eliminate factors responsible for the profoundly disproportionate burden of HIV/AIDS among minority populations in the United States. To achieve this goal our current laboratory research focuses on understanding the biochemical mechanisms of HIV-1 infection and pathogenesis.The overarching goal is to understand how drugs of abuse contribute to HIV-1 pathogenesis. This laboratory focuses on understanding how cocaine modulates target cell biology to enhance HIV-1 replication. This work may identify pathways for a therapeutic intervention.