In collaboration with the Division of Nephrology, NIH-funded laboratory-based efforts are focused on the development of viruses stripped of their potential pathogenic genes as vectors to deliver therapeutic genes to patients. These efforts compliment the recent insitutional commitment to develop the basic and clinical science of gene therapy.

The hospital epidemiology research program continues to evaluate strategies to improve the safety of the hospital setting for both our staff and our patients with recent efforts focused on the development of programs geared to limiting the spread of antimicrobial-resistant organisms in the hospital setting.

The Transplantation Infectious Diseases program has initiated the clinical evaluation of new classes of antibiotics in light of the development of bacteria that are resistant to many of the presently available antibiotics. These immunocompromised hospitalized patients are at great risk of acquiring these infections and it continues to be a challenge to remain one step ahead of antibiotic resistance.