Within the HARC Center, there are 3 projects, focused on HIV accessory and regulatory proteins, where we explore how HIV inhibits host restriction factors, study factors regulating HIV transcription and latency, and investigate virus-host evolution. These projects are supported by 4 technology cores that provide proteomic approaches (Core 1 - Proteomics), CRISPR screens and endogenous tagging in primary cells (Core 2 - Genetics), structural biology using cryo-electron microscopy, X-ray screening, and antibody technologies (Core 3 - Structural Biology), and integrative structral modeling (Core 4 - Integrative Modeling).

Overall goals, scientific progress, administration, and HARC-related outreach activities and communication will be overseen by the Administrative Core. The Developmental Core will provide training opportunities to young investigators and HARC Center members and award the Collaborative Opportunity Fund to enhance the Center’s overall research theme.

The Center brings together extraordinary scientists working at the forefront of their respective fields, using structural and systems biology techniques to advance our knowledge of HIV towards novel treatments and cure. Our innovative HARC endogenous protein structure (HEPS) platform unites biological context with technological innovation and allows us to (1) map HIV-host PPI networks and signaling pathways upon affinity-tagging endogenous loci in primary CD4 T cells, (2) investigate their functional relevance in primary CD4 T cells and macrophages, and (3) structurally determine complexes directly purified from primary cells by innovative advances in cryo-EM technology.