Amie L Meditz, MD

Instructor, Division of Infectious Diseases, UCD

Medical School
University of Texas, Southwestern Branch, Dallas, TX
Residency
University of Texas, Southwestern Branch, Dallas, TX
Fellowship
University of Colorado and Denver and Health Sciences Center, Denver CO
Research Interests
Dr Meditz's major research is translational-based research on the effects of sex on the immunopathogenesis of HIV-1 infection. These studies are critical because of the number of women infected with HIV-1 are increasing, now making up half of those infected worldwide and a quarter of those infected in the USA. Despite increasing numbers of women infected, there is a dearth of knowledge about HIV pathogenesis and treatment in women. She is involved in an ongoing study evaluating lymphoid tissue to evaluated lower HIV-1 viral load in women as compared to men with CD4 T cells greater than 300 cell/mm3. She also is primary investigator on a project designed to evaluate the relationship of female sex hormones and CCR5 density on CD4+ T cells derived from peripheral blood and the cervix by sampling at multiple times during the menstrual cycle. This study will further explore the potential role of sex hormones to modulate CCR5 expression and virus replication in both these compartments and potentially identify points in the menstrual cycle when women are more vulnerable to HIV-1 infection as well as more likely to transmit HIV infection.

Publications

  1. Folkvord, J, McCarter M, Ryder J, Meditz AL, Forster JE, Connick E. Alpha-Defensins 1,2, and 3 are Expressed by Granulocytes in Lymph Nodes of HIV-1 Infected Individuals. JAIDS 2006 Aug 15; 42(5):529-536.
  2. Meditz AL, Borok M, Gudza I, Ndemera B, Gwanzura L and Campbell TB. Sex Differences in AIDS-associated Kaposi's Sarcoma in Harare, Zimbabwe. JAIDS 2007 Mar 1;44(3):306-308.
  3. Connick E, Mattila, T, Folkvord JM, Schlichtemeier R, Meditz, AL, McCarter M, MaWhinney S, Hage A, White C, and Skinner PJ. Cytotoxic T Cells Fail to Accumulate at Sites of HIV-1 Replication in Lymphoid Tissue. J Immunol. 2007 Jun 1;178(11):6975-83
  4. Anderson P, Zheng JH, King T, Bushman LR, Predhomme J, Meditz AL, Gerber J, Fletcher C. Concentrations of Zidovudine- and Lamivudine-triphosphate according to cell-type in HIV-seronegative adults. JAIDS, in press.
  5. D'Souza M, Fontenot AP, Mack DG, Lozupone C, Dillon S, Meditz AL, Wilson CC, Connick E, Palmer BE.. PD-1 Expression on HIV-specific CD4+ T Cells is Driven by HIV Replication. J Immunol, in press