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Arens, Max Q., Ph.D.
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Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Co-director Clinical Retrovirus Lab
Associate Director Clinical Virology Lab
Clinical Retrovirus Lab
Clinical Virology Lab
Infectious Diseases
Laboratory Medicine
Dr. Arens has been interested in many aspects of molecular and clinical virology. He has investigated the molecular and enzymatic mechanisms of adenovirus replication, determinants of neurovirulence in herpes simplex virus, various clinical diagnostic methodologies, procedures for determination of drug resistance in viruses and the potential for transmission of infectious diseases (especially HIV) through dental and medical devices.
Current clinical lab emphasis is concentrated in the area of viral genotyping for drug susceptibility testing and subtype identification. First, Dr. Arens' lab continues to perform PCR-amplification and automated sequencing of the protease and reverse transcriptase genes of HIV for detection of mutations that confer drug resistance. His lab is also investigating the presence of these mutations in a population of patients who have never received antiretroviral therapy. Second, Dr. Arens and his laboratory are also looking for new methods to perform CMV drug susceptibility testing. The plaque assay being used at present is slow (requiring several weeks) and labor intensive and can hopefully be replaced by a PCR and/or sequencing procedure that can be performed in a few days. Thirdly, the Retrovirus Lab continues to diversify and has now begun HCV testing. One of the important HCV diagnostic tests is the determination of genotype since the efficacy of treatment of HCV is dependent on the genotype being treated. HCV genotyping is being performed in this lab with a PCR-reverse hybridization assay.Dr. Arens' current research projects include
- activity of zinc compounds against various viruses
- identification of mutations in HIV associated with discordant responses to highly active antiretroviral therapy in adult and pediatric patients
- genotyping of the DNA polymerase gene of HBV to detect mutations that confer resistance to drugs being used for treatment
- sequencing and molecular comparison of BK virus genomes to investigate associations with nephropathy
- sequencing of the HIV env gene for epidemiologic purposes and to investigate resistance to the new fusion inhibitor
Other projects include
- the development of full-service HIV and HCV clinical testing laboratories in Africa (Ghana and Eritrea) in anticipation of the need for such labs as treatments for these viral infections become more available in resource-poor countries over the next several years.
In addition, we are interested in
- development and testing of rapid, inexpensive diagnostic and prognostic products for use in resource-poor countries.
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- B.S., Purdue University, 1967
- Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1972
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- Postdoctoral training at the Institute for Molecular Virology at St. Louis University School of Medicine, 1972-78
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- Editorial Board, Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 1997-2005
- Subcommittee Vice-Chairman; National Council on Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS)
- Subcommittee on "Genotyping for Infectious Diseases" (MM10).
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Schuurman R, Demeter L, Reichelderfer P, Tijnagel J, de Groot T, Boucher C on behalf of the ENVA laboratories and the Sequencing Working Group (Arens MQ, Albert J, Clotet R, Colgrove R, Demeter L, Descamps D, Fisher E, Huang D, Johnson V, Johnston-Dow L, DeJong D, Lorenzo E, Kay S, Kuritzkes D, Masquelier B, Nielsen C, Perrin L, Rasheed R, Respess R, Shafer B, Sitbon E, VanDamme A, Weislow O, Zhao Y): Worldwide evaluation of DNA sequencing approaches for the identification of drug resistance mutations in the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. J Clin Microbiology 1999; 37:2291-2296.
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Buller RS, Arens MQ, Hmiel SP, Paddock C, Sumner JW, Rikihisa Y, Unver A, Gaudreault-Keener M, Manian FA, Liddell AM, Schmulewitz N, Storch G : Ehrlichia ewingii, a newly recognized agent of human ehrlichiosis. N Engl J Med 1999; 341:148-155.
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Arens MQ: Clinically relevant sequence-based genotyping of HBV, HCV, CMV and HIV. J Clinical Virology 2001; 22:11-29.
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Lurain NS, Bhorade SM, Pursell KJ, Avery RK, Yeldandi VV, Isada CM, Robert ES, Kohn DJ, Arens MQ, Garrity ER, Taege AJ, Mullen MG, Todd KM, Bremer JW, Yen-Lieberman B: Analysis and characterization of antiviral drug-resistant cytomegalovirus isolates from solid organ transplant recipients. J Infectious Diseases 2002; 186:760-768.
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Buller R, Storch G, Arens MQ Coordinating editor, Jamison R, American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC : Cytomegalovirus. Cumitech 2003; 38.
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Arens MQ, Liddell AM, Buening G, Gaudreault-Keener M, Sumner JW, Comer JA, Buller RS, Storch GS: Detection of Ehrlichia spp. in the blood of wild white-tailed deer in Missouri by PCR assay and serologic analysis. J Clin Micro 2003; 41:1263-1265.
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Arens MQ: Quantitation of HCV RNA with the microwell plate and COBAS Amplicor HCV Monitor assays.. J Clin Virology 2003; 27:235-241.
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