Dr. Jerome Zack's laboratory concentrates on developing model systems which are more relevant to the pathogenic process in man than are standard in vitro culture approaches, with the eventual goal of using these systems to develop therapeutic strategies for AIDS. Zack and his colleagues are currently concentrating on three major areas of investigation, which include use of the severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)-hu mouse as an in vivo model for HIV-1-induced pathogenesis and investigating latency mechanisms and therapeutic approaches.

His current studies include factors involved in immune reconstitution following pharmacologic therapy and novel therapeutic approaches including gene therapy, development of novel in vitro culture systems which mimic the in vivo situation and molecular analysis of reverse transcription defects in non-dividing lymphocytes. Zack and his colleagues will continue to develop new model systems and explore existing models to answer important questions regarding the mechanisms associated with HIV disease progression. The members of Zack's laboratory believe that increasing the basic knowledge base regarding pathogenesis will allow a more rational approach to the development of therapeutics to either cure or greatly reduce the morbidity associated with this disease.