PI: Contreras, Nico Title: The Immunological Consequences of Mouse Cytomegalovirus on Adipose 

Tissue

Received: 08/12/2016 FOA: PA16-308 Council: 01/2017

Competition ID: FORMS-D FOA Title: RUTH L. KIRSCHSTEIN NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARD 

INDIVIDUAL PREDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY IN 

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1 F31 AI131622-01 Dual: DK Accession Number: 3962809

IPF: 490201 Organization: UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

Former Number: Department:

IRG/SRG: ZRG1 F07-T (20)L AIDS: N Expedited: N

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Clinical Trial: N

Current HS Code: 10

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Senior/Key Personnel: Organization: Role Category:

Nico Contreras ABOR, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA PD/PI 

JANKO NIKOLICH-ZUGICH Ph.D Arizona Board of Regents, University of Other (Specify)-Sponsor

Arizona 

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The Immunological Consequences of Mouse Cytomegalovirus on Adipose Tissue

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04/01/2017 03/31/2020
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Funding Opportunity Number: PA-16-308 . Received Date:

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SF 424 (R&R) APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE Page 2

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Prefix: Mr. First Name*: Nico Middle Name: Last Name*: Contreras Suffix:

Position/Title: Graduate Research Assistant 

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Table of Contents------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 

Performance Sites--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 

Research & Related Other Project Information------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 

Project Summary/Abstract(Description)----------------------------------------------------- 6 

Project Narrative------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 

Bibliography & References Cited----------------------------------------------------------- 8 

Facilities & Other Resources-------------------------------------------------------------- 13

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PHS Fellowship Supplemental----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25

Applicant's Background and Goals for Fellowship Training---------------------------------- 29

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Tracking Number: GRANT12231644 Funding Opportunity Number: PA-16-308. Received Date:

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Tracking Number: GRANT12231644 Funding Opportunity Number: PA-16-308. Received Date:

2016-08-12T15:15:24.000-04:00
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Project Summary/Abstract Page 6

Abstract

Adipose tissue has long been thought to simply be a site of lipid synthesis and energy storage. However, it has 

become increasingly clear that the inflammatory state of adipose tissue has profound effects on host immunity 

and metabolism. Recent reports have demonstrated that both viruses and parasites are capable of directly 

infecting the adipocytes and cellular constituents of adipose tissue. Furthermore, Human Immunodeficiency 

Virus (HIV) is capable of becoming latent within T cells found in adipose. Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a ubiquitous 

betaherpesvirus, results in a persistent lifelong infection and the holy grail of CMV research has been to 

identify sites of latency, but no study has demonstrated the extent to which adipose tissue is infected or 

harbors latent and persistent virus. CMV has a broad cellular and tissue tropism, and susceptible cells are all 

represented within the adipose tissue. Thus, it is necessary to investigate the consequences, if any, of CMV 

infection within adipose. In order to understand the consequence(s) of CMV infection on adipose we will 

employ the C57BL/6 mouse CMV (mCMV) model of infection. The goal of this proposal is to understand the 

functional consequences and mechanism of spread during mCMV infection within adipose tissue. The overall 

hypothesis of this proposal is that mCMV disseminates to adipose tissue, replicates, establishes latency, 

leading to an lifelong CD8 T cell response. We will address the hypothesis and achieve the goals of this 

proposal by first, determining the cell type(s) that are infected within adipose tissue during infection by qPCR, 

plaque assay, and flow cytometry. We will also determine if mCMV is capable of becoming reactivated from 

within adipose tissue. Second, we will determine the kinetic expansion and contraction of mCMV specific CD8 

T cells. Investigation into infection of and the role of adipose tissue during an immune response is a new and 

growing field, thus this work, when completed, will represent a significant advancement in our fundamental 

base of knowledge regarding mCMV cell tropism and persistence. The findings of this proposal will call for the 

consideration of adipose tissue in the context of infection, which has far reaching impact on vaccinology, 

immunology, virology, and endocrinology.
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Project Narrative Page 7

Project Narrative:

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infects a majority of the world’s population. There has been 

correlation between CMV infection and metabolic health decline, such as 

atherosclerosis. Our preliminary results expand this correlation and possibly 

mechanistically link CMV infection
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

References Cited Page 8

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with insulin resistance in human obesity. Diabetes 59, 1648–56 (2010).

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Sequential Checkpoints in the Transition from Murine Cytomegalovirus Latency to Recurrence. J. Virol. 

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antibody exhibits a lethal off-target effect on basophils in vivo. J. Immunol. 186, 5766–71 (2011).

95. Harshan, K. V & Gangadharam, P. R. In vivo depletion of natural killer cell activity leads to enhanced 

multiplication of Mycobacterium avium complex in mice. Infect. Immun. 59, 2818–21 (1991).

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Unit 4.1 (2001).

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Mechanism That Is Dependent on Prostaglandin Synthesis. J. Immunol. 165, 4231–4238 (2000).

98. Stahl, F. R. et al. Mck2-dependent infection of alveolar macrophages promotes replication of MCMV in 

nodular inflammatory foci of the neonatal lung. Mucosal Immunol. 8, 57–67 (2015).

99. Yuzefpolskiy, Y., Baumann, F. M., Kalia, V. & Sarkar, S. Early CD8 T-cell memory precursors and 

terminal effectors exhibit equipotent in vivo degranulation. Cell. Mol. Immunol. 12, 400–8 (2015).

100. Joshi, N. S. et al. Inflammation directs memory precursor and short-lived effector CD8(+) T cell fates via 

the graded expression of T-bet transcription factor. Immunity 27, 281–95 (2007).

101. Sarkar, S. et al. Functional and genomic profiling of effector CD8 T cell subsets with distinct memory 

fates. J. Exp. Med. 205, 625–40 (2008).

102. Kolodin, D. et al. Antigen- and cytokine-driven accumulation of regulatory T cells in visceral adipose 

tissue of lean mice. Cell Metab. 21, 543–57 (2015).

103. Bapat, S. P. et al. Depletion of fat-resident Treg cells prevents age-associated insulin resistance.Nature

(2015). doi:10.1038/nature16151

104. Jenkins, M. K. & Moon, J. J. The role of naive T cell precursor frequency and recruitment indictating 

immune response magnitude. J. Immunol. 188, 4135–40 (2012).

105. Murray, P. J. & Wynn, T. A. Protective and pathogenic functions of macrophage subsets. Nat. Rev. 

Immunol. 11, 723–37 (2011).

106. Crane, M. J., Hokeness-Antonelli, K. L. & Salazar-Mather, T. P. Regulation of inflammatory 

monocyte/macrophage recruitment from the bone marrow during murine cytomegalovirus infection: role 

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107. Weigt, S. S. et al. Altered levels of CC chemokines during pulmonary CMV predict BOS and mortality 

post-lung transplantation. Am. J. Transplant 8, 1512–22 (2008).
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References Cited Page12

108. MacDonald, M. R., Li, X. Y. & Virgin, H. W. Late expression of a beta chemokine homolog by murine 

cytomegalovirus. J. Virol. 71, 1671–8 (1997).

109. MacDonald, M. R., Burney, M. W., Resnick, S. B. & Virgin HW, I. V. Spliced mRNA encoding the murine 

cytomegalovirus chemokine homolog predicts a beta chemokine of novel structure. J. Virol. 73, 3682–91 

(1999).

110. Saederup, N., Aguirre, S. A., Sparer, T. E., Bouley, D. M. & Mocarski, E. S. Murine cytomegalovirus CC 

chemokine homolog MCK-2 (m131-129) is a determinant of dissemination that increases inflammation 

at initial sites of infection. J. Virol. 75, 9966–76 (2001).

111. Fleming, P. et al. The murine cytomegalovirus chemokine homolog, m131/129, is a determinant of viral 

pathogenicity. J. Virol. 73, 6800–9 (1999).

112. Noda, S. et al. Cytomegalovirus MCK-2 controls mobilization and recruitment of myeloid progenitor cells 

to facilitate dissemination. Blood 107, 30–8 (2006).

113. Saederup, N., Lin, Y. c., Dairaghi, D. J., Schall, T. J. & Mocarski, E. S. Cytomegalovirus-encoded beta 

chemokine promotes monocyte-associated viremia in the host. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 96, 10881–10886 

(1999).

114. Wille, P. T., Wisner, T. W., Ryckman, B. & Johnson, D. C. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) glycoprotein 

gB promotes virus entry in trans acting as the viral fusion protein rather than as a receptor-binding 

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115. Chan, G., Bivins-Smith, E. R., Smith, M. S., Smith, P. M. & Yurochko, A. D. Transcriptome analysis 

reveals human cytomegalovirus reprograms monocyte differentiation toward an M1 macrophage. J. 

Immunol. 181, 698–711 (2008).

116. Bayer, C. et al. Human cytomegalovirus infection of M1 and M2 macrophages triggers inflammation and 

autologous T-cell proliferation. J. Virol. 87, 67–79 (2013).

117. Redman, T. K., Britt, W. J., Wilcox, C. M., Graham, M. F. & Smith, P. D. Human cytomegalovirus 

enhances chemokine production by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated lamina propria macrophages.J. 

Infect. Dis. 185, 584–90 (2002).

118. Smith, P. D. et al. Cytomegalovirus enhances macrophage TLR expression and MyD88-mediated signal 

transduction to potentiate inducible inflammatory responses. J. Immunol. 193, 5604–12 (2014).

119. Morris, D. L. et al. Adipose tissue macrophages function as antigen-presenting cells and regulate 

adipose tissue CD4+ T cells in mice. Diabetes 62, 2762–72 (2013).

120. Wensveen, F. M. et al. NK cells link obesity-induced adipose stress to inflammation and insulin 

resistance. 16, (2015).

121. Martinez, F. O. & Gordon, S. The M1 and M2 paradigm of macrophage activation: time for 

reassessment. F1000Prime Rep. 6, 13 (2014).

122. Rudd, B. D. et al. Nonrandom attrition of the naive CD8+ T-cell pool with aging governed by T-cell 

receptor:pMHC interactions. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 108, 13694–13699 (2011).

123. Goldberg, E. L. et al. Lifespan-extending caloric restriction or mTOR inhibition impair adaptive immunity 

of old mice by distinct mechanisms. Aging Cell 14, 130–138 (2015).

124. Metcalf, T. U. et al. Global analyses revealed age-related alterations in innate immune responses after 

stimulation of pathogen recognition receptors. Aging Cell (2015). doi:10.1111/acel.12320
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Facilities & Other Resources Page13

Facilities and Other Equipment. During this proposed work I will have access to personal cubicle space in 

the Medical Research Building at the University of Arizona. In addition to the personal area I will also have 

access to the BSL-2 shared laboratory space (J. NIkolich-Zugich) 2,000 sq. ft. equipped with benches, sinks, 

water, pressurized air, vacuum, etc. in the Medical Research Building at the University of Arizona College of 

Medicine. Dedicated tissue culture space of 300 sq. ft. is adjacent to the lab. Equipment includes CO2 

incubators, phase and inverted microscopes, spectrophotometers, centrifuges, PCR machines (including real 

time), a gel imaging system, a custom made 4-laser/26-color BD-Fortessa analyzer, DNA sequencers (ABI 

3100), ultracentrifuges, tissue culture hoods, and freezers (-80 and -20 C).

Flow cytometry analysis. Data acquisition will be performed on a custom-made, four-laser BD Fortessa flow 

cytometer (Becton Dickinson, Sunnyvale, CA), and analyzed using FlowJo software (Tree Star, Inc., Ashland, 

OR). Further, rainbow calibration beads will be run within all experiments to allow for cross comparison of 

studies over time
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico OMB Number: 4040-0001

Expiration Date: 06/30/2016

RESEARCH & RELATED Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded)

PROFILE - Project Director/Principal Investigator

Prefix: Mr. First Name*: Nico Middle Name Last Name*: Contreras Suffix: 

Position/Title*: Graduate Research Assistant

Organization Name*: ABOR, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

Department:

Division:

Street1*: UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

Street2:

City*: 

County: 

State*: 

Province:

Country*:

Zip / Postal Code*:

PhoneNumber*: Fax Number: E-Mail*:

Credential, e.g., agency login:

Project Role*: PD/PI Other Project Role Category:

Degree Type: Degree Year:

File Name

Attach Biographical Sketch*: Nico_Contreras_Biosketch_16080a9p.ppldicfation/pdf

Attach Current & Pending Support:

Page 15

Funding Opportunity Number: PA-16-308 . Received Date:

2016-08-12T15:15:24.000-04:00 Tracking Number: GRANT12231644
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Page 16

Funding Opportunity Number: PA-16-308 . Received Date:

2016-08-12T15:15:24.000-04:00 Tracking Number: GRANT12231644

PROFILE - Senior/Key Person

Prefix: First Name*: JANKO Middle Name Last Name*: NIKOLICH-ZUGICH Suffix: Ph.D

Position/Title*: Prof and Head, Dept. of Immunobiology 

Organization Name*: ArizonaBoardofRegents, UniversityofArizona 

Department: Immunobiology

Division: Medicine

Street1*: 

Street2:

City*: 

County: 

State*: 

Province:

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Number*:

Credential, e.g., agency login:

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Degree Type: MD,PHD,MS Degree Year:

File Name

Attach Biographical Sketch*: JNZ_Biosketch.pdf

Attach Current & Pending Support:
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Biosketches Page17

OMB No. 0925-0001 and 0925-0002 (Rev. 10/15 Approved Through 10/31/2018)

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 

DO NOT EXCEED FIVE PAGES.

NAME: Contreras, Nico Anthony

eRA COMMONS USER NAME (credential, e.g., agency login):

POSITION TITLE: Graduate Research Assistant

EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, 

include postdoctoral training and residency training if applicable. Add/delete rows as necessary.)

DEGREE Completion 

(if Date FIELD OF STUDY INSTITUTION AND LOCATION applicable) MM/YYYY

University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ B.S. 05/2012 Physiological Sciences

Professional Sciences University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ M.S. 05/2014 in Applied Biosciences

projected University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ Ph.D. Immunobiology 05/2019

A. Personal Statement

During my time in graduate school, and most specifically in the Nikolich-Zugich laboratory I have 

developed my technical skills as a researcher in the use of multi-parameter flow cytometry, as well as other 

molecular and cellular biology tools. Furthermore, I have developed and improved upon my critical thinking and 

experimental design. The proposal described herein, we conceived independently during my time in the 

laboratory and I believe it adds a new layer to the work that is currently being performed within the NikolichZugich lab.

Prior to joining Dr. Janko Nikolich-Zugich’s laboratory for my Ph.D. thesis work I completed a 

Professional Science Master’s degree with Dr. Linda Powers. This project was focused on developing a lateral 

flow assay to be used in remote and rural locations to determine if blood samples were contaminated with 

bloodborne pathogens, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research and the Department of Defense. This 

project was extremely collaborative and I was responsible for weekly progress briefings, as well as monthly 

written reports for an extremely interdisciplinary team. I learned a wide array of new techniques and was a 

successful member of the team. As a member in the Nikolich-Zugich laboratory I have been exposed to cutting 

edge immunologic methodologies and have demonstrated that I am capable of quickly learning necessary 

techniques in order to drive experimental progress.

I have demonstrated improved understanding and work within my field over time. As the first member of 

my family to complete a Bachelor’s degree and obtain a position in graduate school, as well as being a 

member of several diversity development groups I believe that I would make a strong candidate to receive 

funding through an NIH/NIA research diversity supplement. Additionally, I have received NIH funding through 

the Initiative to Maximize Student Diversity Award and currently sit on the Department of Immunobiology 

Diversity Committees and these activities are firmly within the spirit of this program. I believe I clearly show an 

ability to learn necessary laboratory techniques to drive projects forward, as well as be responsible for 

communicating and defending the results.

B. Positions and Honors

List in chronological order previous positions, concluding with the present position. List any honors. Include 

present membership on any Federal Government public advisory committee.

Wildcat Excellence Award 2008-2012 (Tuition Scholarship)

Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards Award 2008-2012 (Tuition Scholarship) Declined

Dean’s List Honorable Mention 2008 

Roman DeSanctis Scholarship 2010-2011
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Biosketches Page18

Capital One All-American Mascot Challenge Award 2011-2012 

University of Arizona Graduate College Dean’s Tuition Award 2014

American Association for the Advancement of Science Member 2014-Current 

American Aging Association Member 2014-Current

Initiative for Maximizing Student Development Grantee 2014-2015 

ThymUS Maui NIH Under Represented Minority Travel Award 2016

C. Contributions to Science

Oral Presentations

Contreras, N.A. (2015) Your Immune System and Your Food. Immunobiology Seminar. The University of 

Arizona. Tucson, AZ.

Contreras, N.A. (2016) Fattening Up Your Immune System. Immunobiology and Cellular Molecular Medicine 

Joint Seminar. The University of Arizona. Tucson, AZ.

Poster Presentations

Contreras, N.A., Fontana, L., and Nikolich-Zugich J. (2016) Reversible Lymphopenia Induced By Calorie 

Restriction. Frontiers in Immunobiology Symposium. The University of Arizona. Tucson, AZ.

PhD Rotations

To date I have been part of a study involving the characterization of the immune response following stroke, 

within Kristian Doyle’s PhD lab, in the context of both acute and chronic strokes. Specifically my aims were to 

determine cytokine and chemokine profiles in the brain with first incidence of stroke as well as recurrent 

strokes by using two mouse models to account for heterogeneity. Additionally, I was able to use fresh frozen 

tissue from human subjects and analyze their cytokine and chemokine profiles across an aged cohort. Finally, 

I quantified T- and B-cell counts in the stroke lesion as well as within the brain to demonstrate the leakiness of 

the glial scar that forms following stroke. These studies will lead to the development of novel therapeutics for 

better outcomes following stroke.

During a second rotation study I was a member of the Anity Koshy, MD lab where I worked to develop a 

genetic knockout of Toxoplasma gondii using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Using this novel genetic tool I 

attempted to knockout a sugar transporter in this parasite in order to prevent the formation of cysts in the 

central nervous system to determine what pathways this cyst interrupts, in hopes that these pathways can be 

used for a better understanding of neuroinflammation in the brain that is present in several diseases such as 

Alzheimer’s and MS.

My final obligatory research rotation was performed in the Nikolich-Zugich laboratory, where I continue to 

conduct research. My project focus was on peptide stimulation of banked human peripheral blood mononuclear 

cells (PBMCs) with epitopes of the human cytomegalovirus. After stimulation I was to assay cytokine 

production by CD8 T cells. In parallel I was tasked with determining the neutralizing antibody titers of the same 

people using banked serum. The intent of this project was to determine if there was a correlation with amount 

of cytokine produced by T cells and neutralizing antibody from serum across the lifespan of patients infected 

with cytomegalovirus.

Outreach

The University of Arizona Joint Biology Retreat Committee Member 2015

The University of Arizona Department of Immunobiology Diversity Committee Member 2015 - Current 

BASIS School Oro Valley Science Outreach Volunteer:

I volunteered at a charter school to teach children basic scientific concepts including surface tension, acid/base 

differences, and viscosity and density.

Masters Thesis

As a member of an interdisciplinary team I helped develop a rapid lateral flow assay for the detection of blood 

borne pathogens. Specifically I was involved in the development of an affinity peptide assay for use to detect 

Hepatitis C virus, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and Plasmodium sp. The team was successfully able to
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Biosketches Page19

develop a test that is currently undergoing military specification qualifications for use in the field and has led to 

a publication in press. These studies will lead to a military grade point-of-care device to be used for rural 

medicine needs as well as blood screenings for use in military operations.

D. Scholastic Performance

Graduate Record Exam Scores:

The University of Arizona grades on a Regular Grading Scale: A, B, C, D, E. With D being a passing grade. 

Transfer Credits are denoted with a T prior to the Regular Grade. S = Superior and is not calculated in the 

GPA. K = course in progress that spans multiple semesters. P = pass in a Pass/Fail course and is not 

calculated in the GPA.

Course Description Term Grade Course Description Term Grade
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Biosketches Page20

OMB No. 0925-0001/0002 (Rev. 08/12 Approved Through 8/31/2015)

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 

Provide the following information for the Senior/key personnel and other significant contributors.

Follow this format for each person. DO NOT EXCEED FIVE PAGES.

NAME: NIKOLICH-ZUGICH, JANKO

eRA COMMONS USER NAME (agency login):

POSITION TITLE: Prof and Head, Dept. of Immunobiology

EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, 

include postdoctoral training and residency training if applicable.)

INSTITUTION AND LOCATION DEGREE Completion Date FIELD OF STUDY

(if applicable) MM/YYYY

A. Personal Statement 

My principal interests are to understand (i) basic mechanisms of immunity and how these mechanisms decline 

and deteriorate with age to erode protective immunity against infection, including persistent infections such as 

those with the cytomegalovirus (CMV); and (ii) how we can devise methods to correct or ameliorate immune 

dysfunction by means of new vaccines, immunomodulatory and metabolic intervention and/or immune 

rejuvenation. We use infectious disease models, including biodefense and emerging infection (cat. A-C) agents 

to probe immune defense, homeostasis, T-cell repertoire and memory in the mouse, non-human primate and 

human models.

My other interest is longevity and Healthspan modulation by nutritional and metabolic intervention. The 

promise of healthspan extension via dietary and pharmacologic intervention raises the possibility of delaying 

many organ-specific diseases of aging simultaneously with longevity extension. However, that mandates 

careful investigation into benefits, as well as possible costs, of different treatments to truly achieve healthspan 

extension. Immune system is particularly sensitive to nutrient deprivation if faced with acute infection, and we 

are studying whether and how different longevity extension treatments can improve function of the immune 

system while still providing longevity/healthspan benefit.

With regard to this I have trained and mentored 11 doctoral students (10 graduated with Ph.D., one with M.Sc) 

and 20 postdoctoral trainees, and am currently training/mentoring one doctoral student, 2 postdoctoral trainees 

and 5 junior faculty/clinical fellows with K or R awards. Of these, 11 former postdoctoral trainees hold faculty or 

senior industry positions, and of 10 former Ph.D. students, two are in faculty positions and 6 have continued 

postdoctoral education. 

1. Messaoudi I, Guevara Patiño JA, Dyall R, LeMaoult J, Nikolich-Zugich J. Direct link between mhc 

polymorphism, T cell avidity, and diversity in immune defense. Science. 2002 Nov29;298(5599):1797- 

800. PubMed PMID: 12459592. 

2. Brien JD, Uhrlaub JL, Hirsch A, Wiley CA, Nikolich-Zugich J. Key role of T cell defects in age-related 

vulnerability to West Nile virus. J Exp Med. 2009 Nov 23;206(12):2735-45. PubMed PMID: 19901080; 

PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2806630. 

3. Uhrlaub JL, Brien JD, Widman DG, Mason PW, Nikolich-Zugich J. Repeated in vivo stimulation ofT 

and B cell responses in old mice generates protective immunity against lethal West Nile virus 

encephalitis. J Immunol. 2011 Apr 1;186(7):3882-91. PubMed PMID: 21339368; PubMed Central 

PMCID: PMC3501996. 

4. Li G, Smithey MJ, Rudd BD, Nikolich-Žugich J. Age-associated alterations in CD8α+ dendritic cells 

impair CD8 T-cell expansion in response to an intracellular bacterium. Aging Cell. 2012 Dec;11(6):968- 

77. PubMed PMID: 22862959; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3533767. 
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Biosketches Page21

B. Positions and Honors 

Positions and Employment 

1987 - 1990 Research Associate, Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, CA

1990 - 2001 Assistant/Associate Member, MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER, New 

York, NY

2001 - 2008 Professor and Senior Scientist, OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY, Portland, OR

2008 - Prof and Head, Dept. of Immunobiology, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, Tucson, AZ

Other Experience and Professional Memberships 

Honors 

1989 AAI Travel Assistance Award, 7th International Congress of Immunologists, American

Association of Immunologists

1991 Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences,, Pew Charitable Trust

1998 Boyer Young Investigator Award, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

2003 Visiting Professor, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade

2008 Bowman Professor in Medical Research, University of Arizona College of Medicine

2009 President, American Aging Association

C. Contribution to Science

1. T cell development: In the course of my final training and early independent career (1987-1998, I 

contributed several seminal studies that have mapped precursor-product relationship in the main TCR 

alpha/beta lineage development in the thymus. This work provided a roadmap to dissect phenotypic and 

functional stages in T cell development.

a. Nikolić-Zugić J, Bevan MJ. Thymocytes expressing CD8 differentiate into CD4+ cells following 

intrathymic injection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Nov;85(22):8633-7. PubMed PMID: 3141930; 

PubMed Central PMCID: PMC282513. 

b. Nikolić-Zugić J, Moore MW, Bevan MJ. Characterization of the subset of immature thymocytes which 

can undergo rapid in vitro differentiation. Eur J Immunol. 1989 Apr;19(4):649-53. PubMed PMID:

2567243. 

c. Andjelić S, Jain N, Nikolić-Zugić J. Immature thymocytes become sensitive to calcium-mediated 

apoptosis with the onset of CD8, CD4, and the T cell receptor expression: a role for bcl-2?. J Exp Med. 

1993 Nov 1;178(5):1745-51. PubMed PMID: 8228820; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2191237. 

d. Dyall R, Nikolić-Zugić J. The majority of postselection CD4+ single-positive thymocytes requires the 

thymus to produce long-lived, functional T cells. J Exp Med. 1995 Jan 1;181(1):235-45. PubMedPMID:

7528769; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2191814. 

2. Intrathymic positive selection: During the same period, together with Dr Michael Bevan, I provided the first 

evidence that in the course of intrathymic poistive selection TCR recognizes a complex of a self peptide 

and a self MHC molecule. Subsequently, I published several key manuscripts dissecting molecular details 

of that interaction and its impact for T cell repertoire formation and defense against cancer.

a. Nikolić-Zugić J, Bevan MJ. Role of self-peptides in positively selecting the T-cell repertoire. Nature. 

1990 Mar 1;344(6261):65-7. PubMed PMID: 2304556. 

b. Nikolić-Zugić J, Carbone FR. The effect of mutations in the MHC class I peptide binding groove on the 

cytotoxic T lymphocyte recognition of the Kb-restricted ovalbumin determinant. Eur J Immunol. 1990 

Nov;20(11):2431-7. PubMed PMID: 2253683. 

c. Dyall R, Fremont DH, Jameson SC, Nikolić-Zugić J. T cell receptor (TCR) recognition of MHC class I 

variants: intermolecular second-site reversion provides evidence for peptide/MHC conformational 

variation. J Exp Med. 1996 Jul 1;184(1):253-8. PubMed PMID: 8691139; PubMed Central PMCID:

PMC2192691. 
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Biosketches Page22

d. Dyall R, Bowne WB, Weber LW, LeMaoult J, Szabo P, Moroi Y, Piskun G, Lewis JJ, HoughtonAN, 

Nikolić-Zugić J. Heteroclitic immunization induces tumor immunity. J Exp Med. 1998 Nov 

2;188(9):1553-61. PubMed PMID: 9802967; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2212523. 

3. MHC polymorphism, TCR repertoire formation and immune defense against infection: How is TCR 

reperoire shaped by MHC polymorphism, what is its capacity to recognize foreign invaders and how well 

can it protect against infection? My next series of contributions focused on these functional implications of 

positive intrathymic selection. My group discovered that MHC polymprphism is directly linked to TCR 

diversity, with subtle shifts in TCR repertoire occurring as a consequence of subtle MHC polymorphism 

changes. We further showed that this directly impacted immune defense against infection.

a. Molano A, Erdjument-Bromage H, Fremont DH, Messaoudi I, Tempst P, Nikolić-Zugić J. Peptide 

selection by an MHC H-2Kb class I molecule devoid of the central anchor ("C") pocket. J Immunol. 

1998 Mar 15;160(6):2815-23. PubMed PMID: 9510184. 

b. Dyall R, Messaoudi I, Janetzki S, Nikolic-Zugić J. MHC polymorphism can enrich the T cell repertoire of 

the species by shifts in intrathymic selection. J Immunol. 2000 Feb 15;164(4):1695-8. PubMed PMID:

10657612. 

c. Janković V, Remus K, Molano A, Nikolich-Zugich J. T cell recognition of an engineered MHC class I 

molecule: implications for peptide-independent alloreactivity. J Immunol. 2002 Aug 15;169(4):1887-92. 

PubMed PMID: 12165513. 

d. Messaoudi I, Guevara Patiño JA, Dyall R, LeMaoult J, Nikolich-Zugich J. Direct link between mhc 

polymorphism, T cell avidity, and diversity in immune defense. Science. 2002 Nov29;298(5599):1797- 

800. PubMed PMID: 12459592. 

4. Immune homeostasis and aging: In a series of innovative experiments we have probed the boundaries of 

naive and memory T cell homeostasis and maintenance in the course of aging. We discovered several 

novel compensatory homeostatic mechanisms in mice and non-human primates that attempt to conserve T 

cells during aging, but eventually fail due to exhaustion. We showed that this leads to selection of a small 

subset of surviving naive T cells cells that exhibit high avidity towards both self and foreign MHC, and that 

tend to dominate immune responses in an oligoclonal fashion, potentially favoring escape of microbial 

variants.

a. Messaoudi I, Lemaoult J, Guevara-Patino JA, Metzner BM, Nikolich-Zugich J. Age-related CD8 Tcell 

clonal expansions constrict CD8 T cell repertoire and have the potential to impair immune defense. J 

Exp Med. 2004 Nov 15;200(10):1347-58. PubMed PMID: 15545358; PubMed Central PMCID:

PMC2211915. 

b. Cicin-Sain L, Messaoudi I, Park B, Currier N, Planer S, Fischer M, Tackitt S, Nikolich-Zugich D, 

Legasse A, Axthelm MK, Picker LJ, Mori M, Nikolich-Zugich J. Dramatic increase in naive T cell 

turnover is linked to loss of naive T cells from old primates. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Dec 

11;104(50):19960-5. PubMed PMID: 18056811; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2148405. 

c. Rudd BD, Venturi V, Davenport MP, Nikolich-Zugich J. Evolution of the antigen-specific CD8+TCR 

repertoire across the life span: evidence for clonal homogenization of the old TCR repertoire. J 

Immunol. 2011 Feb 15;186(4):2056-64. PubMed PMID: 21248263; PubMed Central PMCID:

PMC4119821. 

d. Rudd BD, Venturi V, Li G, Samadder P, Ertelt JM, Way SS, Davenport MP, Nikolich-Žugich J. 

Nonrandom attrition of the naive CD8+ T-cell pool with aging governed by T-cell receptor:pMHC 

interactions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Aug 16;108(33):13694-9. PubMed PMID: 21813761; 

PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3158207. 

5. Infection and immunity with aging: how does an older immune system deal with new infection, reinfection 

and persistent infection? We have filled critical gaps in our knowledge in this regard, studying acute (West 

Nile virus, Listeria monocytogenes, Poxviruses, Chikungunya virus) and persistent (HSV-1, 

cytomegalovirus) microbial pathogens in mice, non-human primates and humans. We found profound, 

stereotypical lesions in adaptive immunity to acute infection, and a less well defined set of innate immune 

defects. With regard to persistent viruses, we have discovered that while these infections clearly have a 
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Biosketches Page23

negative impact on immune responses to third-party antigens, this impact is probably not fatal and can also 

have potential benefits.

a. Brien JD, Uhrlaub JL, Hirsch A, Wiley CA, Nikolich-Zugich J. Key role of T cell defects in age-related 

vulnerability to West Nile virus. J Exp Med. 2009 Nov 23;206(12):2735-45. PubMed PMID: 19901080; 

PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2806630. 

b. Cicin-Sain L, Smyk-Pearson S, Currier N, Byrd L, Koudelka C, Robinson T, Swarbrick G, Tackitt S, 

Legasse A, Fischer M, Nikolich-Zugich D, Park B, Hobbs T, Doane CJ, Mori M, Axthelm MK, 

Lewinsohn DA, Nikolich-Zugich J. Loss of naive T cells and repertoire constriction predict poor 

response to vaccination in old primates. J Immunol. 2010 Jun 15;184(12):6739-45. PubMed PMID:

20483749; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3504654. 

c. Smithey MJ, Li G, Venturi V, Davenport MP, Nikolich-Žugich J. Lifelong persistent viral infectionalters 

the naive T cell pool, impairing CD8 T cell immunity in late life. J Immunol. 2012 Dec 1;189(11):5356- 

66. PubMed PMID: 23087407; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3504138. 

d. Wertheimer AM, Bennett MS, Park B, Uhrlaub JL, Martinez C, Pulko V, Currier NL, Nikolich-ŽugichD, 

Kaye J, Nikolich-Žugich J. Aging and cytomegalovirus infection differentially and jointly affect distinct 

circulating T cell subsets in humans. J Immunol. 2014 Mar 1;192(5):2143-55. PubMed PMID:

24501199; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3989163. 

D. Research Support 

Ongoing Research Support 

2014/07/15-2019/04/30

R01 AG048021-02, National Institute on Aging (NIA) 

NIKOLICH-ZUGICH, JANKO (PI)

IMPACT OF CMV UPON T-CELL AGING AND IMMUNE DEFENSE

The goal of this project is to dissect how CMV modulates T-cell receptor repertoire and function in mice and 

humans, and how virus activity interplays with T cell function and immunity in aging.

Role: PI

2014/05/01-2017/04/30 (no cost extension)

R21 AG045734-02, National Institute on Aging (NIA) 

NIKOLICH-ZUGICH, JANKO (PI)

Longevity extension and immune function in aging (R21)

The goal of this project is to examine whether the most potent longevity extension interventions may adversely 

affect innate and adaptive immunity.

Role: PI

Completed Research Support 

2011/05/16-2016/05/15

HHSN 272201100017C , NIAID/NIH 

NIKOLICH-ZUGICH, JANKO (PI)

Immune protection in Special Populations:

To use a combination of rodent and human models to elucidate critical age-related defects in innate and 

adaptive responses to West Nile Virus and other bioterror and emerging infections.

Role: PI
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Biosketches Page24

2001/08/01-2014/07/31

R01 AG020719-10, National Institute on Aging (NIA) 

NIKOLICH-ZUGICH, JANKO (PI)

T cell Homeostasis and Function in Immune Senescence 

Role: PI

2009/04/15-2014/03/31

R01 AI082529-04, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) 

NIKOLICH-ZUGICH, JANKO (PI)

Rejuvenation of the T-cell compartment in aging primates 

Role: MPI

2009/04/20-2014/02/28

U54 AI081680-01, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) 

NIKOLICH-ZUGICH, JANKO (PI)

Broad based intervention to improve CD8-mediated protection 

Role: PI

2009/09/30-2013/08/31

R01 AG035309-03, National Institute on Aging (NIA) 

NIKOLICH-ZUGICH, JANKO (PI)

MECHANISMS OF REDUCED T-CELL IMMUNITY IN OLDER ADULTS

Role: PI
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

PHS Fellowship Supplemental Form

Page 25

Funding Opportunity Number: PA-16-308. Received Date:

2016-08-12T15:15:24.000-04:00

Tracking Number: GRANT12231644

OMB Number: 0925-0001 

Expiration Date: 10/31/2018

Introduction

1. Introduction

(RESUBMISSION)

Fellowship Applicant Section

2. Applicant's Background and Goals for Fellowship Goals_for_F31.pdf Training*

Research Training Plan Section

3. Specific Aims* F31_Specific_Aims.pdf 

4. Research Strategy* F31_Research_Strategy.pdf 

5. Respective Contributions* Respective_Contributions.pdf 

6. Selection of Sponsor and Institution* SELECTION_OF_SPONSOR_AND_INSTITUTION.pdf

7. Progress Report Publication List

(RENEWAL)

8. Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research* Responsible_Conduct_Research.pdf 

Sponsor(s), Collaborator(s) and Consultant(s) Section

9. Sponsor and Co-Sponsor Statements F31_2016_Janko_Sponsor_Section-jnz.pdf 

10. Letters of Support from Collaborators, Contributors 

and Consultants

Institutional Environment and Commitment to Training Section

11. Description of Institutional Environment and Description_Institutional_Environment_F31_jnz.pdf 

Commitment to Training

Other Research Training Plan Section

Human Subjects

Please note. The following item is taken from the Research & Related Other Project Information form. The response provided on that 

page, regarding the involvement of human subjects, is repeated here for your reference as you provide related responses for this 

Fellowship application. If you wish to change the answer to the item shown below, please do so on the Research & Related Other Project 

Information form; you will not be able to edit the response here.

Are Human Subjects Involved? Yes ✔ No

12. Human Subjects Involvement Indefinite?

13. Clinical Trial?

14. Agency-Defined Phase III Clinical Trial?

15. Protection of Human Subjects

16. Data Safety Monitoring Plan

17. Inclusion of Women and Minorities

18. Inclusion of Children

Vertebrate Animals

The following item is taken from the Research & Related Other Project Information form and repeated here for your reference. Any 

change to this item must be made on the Research & Related Other Project Information form.

Are Vertebrate Animals Used? ✔ Yes No

19. Vertebrate Animals Use Indefinite? ✔ Yes No
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

PHS Fellowship Supplemental Form

Page 26

Funding Opportunity Number: PA-16-308. Received Date:

2016-08-12T15:15:24.000-04:00

Tracking Number: GRANT12231644

20. Are vertebrate animals euthanized? ✔ Yes No 

If "Yes" to euthanasia

Is method consistent with American Veterinary ✔ Yes No Medical Association (AVMA) guidelines?

If "No" to AVMA guidelines, describe method and 

provide scientific justification

21. Vertebrate Animals Vertebrate_Animals.pdf 

Other Research Training Plan Information

22. Select Agent Research

23. Resource Sharing Plan

24. Authentication of Key Biological and/or Chemical 

Resources
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

PHS Fellowship Supplemental Form

Page 27

Funding Opportunity Number: PA-16-308. Received Date:

2016-08-12T15:15:24.000-04:00

Tracking Number: GRANT12231644

Additional Information Section

25. Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Does the proposed project involve human embryonic stem cells?* Yes ✔ No

If the proposed project involves human embryonic stem cells, list below the registration number of the specific cell line(s), using the registry 

information provided within the agency instructions. Or, if a specific stem cell line cannot be referenced at this time, please check the box 

indicating that one from the registry will be used:

Specific stem cell line cannot be referenced at this time. One from the registry will be used. 

Cell Line(s):

26. Alternate Phone Number:

27. Degree Sought During Proposed Award:

Degree: If "other", please indicate degree type: Expected Completion Date (month/year):

PHD: Doctorof Philosophy 05/2019

28. Field of Training for Current Proposal*: 151 Immunology

29. Current Or Prior Kirschstein-NRSA Support?* Yes ✔ No

If yes, please identify current and prior Kirschstein-NRSA support below:

Level* Type* Start Date (if known) End Date (if known) Grant Number (if known)

30. Applications for Concurrent Support?* Yes ✔ No

If yes, please describe in an attached file:

31. Citizenship*

U.S. Citizen U.S. Citizen or Non-Citizen National? ✔ Yes No

Non-U.S. Citizen With a Permanent U.S. Resident Visa 

With a Temporary U.S. Visa

If you are a non-U.S. citizen with a temporary visa who has applied for permanent resident status and expect to hold a permanent resident 

visa by the earliest possible start date of the award, please also check here.

Name of Former Institution:*

32. Change of Sponsoring Institution
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

PHS Fellowship Supplemental Form

Page 28

Funding Opportunity Number: PA-16-308. Received Date:

2016-08-12T15:15:24.000-04:00

Tracking Number: GRANT12231644

Budget Section

All Fellowship Applicants:

1. Tuition and Fees*:

None Requested ✔ Funds Requested

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5 

Year 6 (when applicable) 

Total Funds Requested:

Senior Fellowship Applicants Only:

Amount Academic Period Number of Months

2. Present Institutional Base Salary:

3. Stipends/Salary During First Year of Proposed Fellowship:

Amount Number of Months a. Federal Stipend Requested:

$0.00 0.0

Amount Number of Months

b. Supplementation from other sources:

Type (sabbatical leave, salary, etc.)

Source 

Appendix
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Applicant's Background and Goals for Fellowship Training Page29

GOALS FOR FELLOWSHIP AND TRAINING CAREER

To this point of my training I have fulfilled all required coursework as well as passed my 

qualifying exams to continue to PhD Candidacy. However, I will continue to be an active participant in 

journal clubs to discuss primary research, our research seminars to present my own research, as well 

as attend invited speakers from other institutions to continue to broaden my knowledge of my 

scientific field. In addition to these activities I will also attend domestic and international conferences, 

as will be outlined in the timeline below, and participate our department’s local Frontiers in 

Immunobiology Symposium as well as my laboratories own sponsored International Cytomegalovirus 

Meeting. The main focus of my training will be the further development of the project herein described 

under the supervision of Dr. Janko Nikolich-Zugich, MD, PhD. In conjunction with the scientific 

training provided by Dr. Nikolich-Zugich, his network of colleagues and collaborators provides an 

unparalleled level of interaction with leaders of my field. To date I have been involved in several 

aspects of Program Projects Grant meetings, development of a second Program Project, and one-onone interaction with Vishwa Deep Dixit, Charlie Surh, Michael Diamond, Richard A. Miller, and others. 

The beneficial impact that these interactions have to my career are immeasurable, as they provide 

interactions that will undoubtedly help me reach my primary goal of a post-doctoral training position 

following my PhD completion. After obtaining my PhD in Immunobiology, I aim to continue a career in 

biomedical and scientific research focused on the interface of infectious disease and adipose tissue 

immunology.

Post-doctoral training following completion of my PhD studies will help me to achieve the 

penultimate goal of an academic position where I am capable of having an impact not only in the 

biomedical research community and to also be involved in the development and training of students 

who are under represented minorities, such as myself. In line with the latter goal, I sit as a studentmember of the Department of Immunobiology Diversity Committee and contribute to increasing 

visibility of a career in scientific research to non-traditional and under represented students. To this 

point in my career I have been given numerous opportunities to develop my grant writing skills, 

through a grant writing course proctored by several faculty members, I have been provided ample 

opportunity to speak in both scientific and non-scientific settings, I have been provided leadership 

positions as a planning member of a joint biological sciences program retreat at the University of 

Arizona. I will continue developing these skills during my remaining years as a PhD candidate in Dr. 

Nikolich-Zugich’s laboratory. Finally, I will continue developing increased independence and 

autonomy as a researcher. Adipose tissue immunology in Dr. Nikolich-Zugich’s laboratory was a 

completely unexplored field prior to my arrival and as such it has provided myself a level of 

independence and freedom that I believe would be difficult to come by in other laboratories. All of 

these various opportunities, I believe, will allow for my continued success in the sciences as my 

training progresses.

The Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Diversity Fellowship presents a unique opportunity to bolster 

many of the skills that I have been developing during my training. The identification of a specific 

unanswered and unexplored question in the field of immunobiology, and the generation of ways to 

address the question through the development and drafting of this proposal will pay dividends in my 

ability to apply for and obtain grant funding. Continuation of the funding will require the development, 

execution, and analysis of experiments and data. These activities will expand upon my critical 

thinking skills, the drafting of reports for both a scientific and non-scientific community, and ability to 

defend my work and thought process. As this is a diversity fellowship, I certainly understand and 

appreciate what that means for not only myself but also those who have applied before and will apply 

after me. The development of under represented minority students is crucially important to me, as it 

has provided a world that otherwise I would never have experienced. I have been funded by the NIH 

Initiative to Maximize Student Development and now am currently funded by an R01 Diversity 

Supplement. During my career I hope to continue to be provided by these programs and encourage 

my trainees to apply as well. Finally, the funding provided by this fellowship would help accomplish 

my research projects in a timely fashion whereby I can continue onto the future stages of my training.
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Applicant's Background and Goals for Fellowship Training Page30

ACTIVITIES PLANNED UNDER THIS AWARD

Year 1 (2017): Nikolich-Zugich Laboratory (The University of Arizona)

Research: 80%, Seminars/Journal Club: 10%, Conferences/Career Development: 10% 

Research: Complete Aim 1.

Conferences/Career Development: Attend and present at the 6th International Workshop on CMV 

and Immunosenescence in Tucson, AZ. Attend and present at The American Association of 

Immunologists in Washington, DC.

Year 2 (2018): Nikolich-Zugich Laboratory (The University of Arizona)

Research: 80%, Seminars/Journal Club: 10%, Conferences/Career Development: 10% 

Research: Submit manuscript on Aim 1. Complete Aim 2. Being writing thesis/dissertation.

Conferences/Career Development: Attend and present at the Keystone Symposium Integrating 

Metabolism and Immunity in Dublin, Ireland. Attend and present at The American Association of 

Immunologists in Austin, Texas.

Year 3 (2019): Nikolich-Zugich Laboratory (The University of Arizona)

Research: 80%, Seminars/Journal Club: 10%, Conferences/Career Development: 10%

The beginning of year 3 is the proposed year of thesis/dissertation defense.

Research: Submit manuscript for Aim 2. Defend thesis/dissertation.

Conferences/Career Development: Attend and present at relevant international meeting. Attend 

and present at The American Association of Immunologists in San Diego, California.

Attend relevant international conference.
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Applicant's Background and Goals for Fellowship Training Page31

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

My research experience was delayed compared to most of my peers. I was the first person in 

my family to attend and graduate from university and as can be imagined I didn’t really have much of 

a plan or understanding of what volunteering and academic research even was. I worked for most of 

my undergrad until I was fortunate to get a scholarship

The only laboratory experience that I had during my 

undergraduate studies had been the obligatory curriculum associated labs of chemistry, organic 

chemistry, physiology, biology, and organic chemistry. These were obviously not focused on 

answering unsolved questions but more focused on immersion of students into basic laboratory 

techniques. It was not until after I graduated that I first experienced basic scientific research.

I was accepted into a Professional Science Masters program, which, in my mind, can best be 

described as a mixture of MBA level business courses and first year PhD sciences courses. It was 

here that I first began conducting scientific research. As part of my Master’s thesis I worked in Dr.

Linda Powers’ laboratory where the primary task was the development of a lateral flow assay for the 

detection of blood borne pathogens. This device was funded by a Office of Naval Research contract, 

and the assay was intended be used as a point of care device to determine if blood was suitable for 

transfusions. Specifically, my objectives were to use phage display peptide library to determine 

peptide interactions between Hepatitis B and C viruses, as well as HIV. The fundamental concept 

behind this project was that peptides identified to interact with these viruses would be conjugated to 

fluorescent markers and these markers would be detected and inform the operator whether blood 

was infected or not. During my time in the Powers lab I learned chemical techniques such as the 

sanitation of glassware by ‘piranha etch,’ which is a mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide. I 

learned how to perform peptide library biopanning with phage display technology and to crosslink 

peptides to glass surfaces. I learned proper techniques in handling select-agents. I successfully 

defended my Master’s thesis after 1.5 years in the program.

Shortly before completing my Master’s I was accepted into the University of Arizona biological 

sciences umbrella program. At the beginning of my studies I initially identified Dr. Nikolich-Zugich’s 

laboratory as where I wished to conduct my thesis research, but as required by the program I had to 

perform research rotations. Fortunately for me I was funded by the NIHs Initiative to Maximize 

Student Development program and began research earlier than my cohort in the summer. I began my 

first rotation in the laboratory of Dr. Kirstian Doyle who investigates the long-term cognitive effects of 

stroke, and the immune response within stroke lesions. In this laboratory I was involved in setting up 

the workflow of a Magpix Luminex Assay, which allows for the detection of up to 25 different 

cytokines. We used this assay to investigate the inflammatory environment of the stroke lesions in the 

brain following stroke. From this work I gave an oral presentation to my cohort and facultymembers.

My second research rotation was in the laboratory of Dr. Anita Koshy. Her laboratory focuses 

in the lifelong chronic infection of a parasite named Toxoplasma gondii. My responsibilities were twofold, I helped quantify the number of macrophages and T cells in the brain following infection by using 

immunohistochemistry and I was responsible for engineering a mutant Toxoplasma with Crispr/Cas9 

technology. Once again I presented my resulting data in an oral presentation to faculty and students 

of my cohort.

My third and final rotation was in the Nikolich-Zugich laboratory, where I currently am working 

on several projects. I am investigating if caloric restriction can be used to rejuvenate the aged 

immune system and, as seen in this research proposal, the contribution of adipose tissue immune 

cells to lifelong infection of cytomegalovirus. Since joining the lab I have given several oral and poster 

presentation on my work. Most, notably I was awarded an under represented minority travel award to 

attend the International ThymUS Meeting in Maui, Hawaii to present my work on calorie restriction. It 

is these experiences that I believe will allow me success in completing the goals stated within this 

proposal.
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Specific Aims Page32

A. SPECIFIC AIMS

Adipose tissue consists of adipocytes that are crucial in lipid synthesis and energy storage, and a 

smaller population of cells of the stromal vascular fraction (SVF). The SVF represents a heterogeneous 

mixture of endothelial, stem, and immune cells, including T cells, macrophages, B cells, and NK cells. It has 

become increasingly clear that the immune responses within adipose tissue, such as cytokine secretion and 

tissue remodeling, influence host health and metabolism. Much emphasis has been placed on the activation of 

T cells and macrophages and their role in the chronic low-grade inflammation seen in obesity. However, 

inflammation in response to infections has been less thoroughly investigated. Adipocytes infected by 

adenovirus display an increased size and density, and Trypanosoma cruzi directly infects adipocytes resulting 

in adipose tissue inflammation. Recently, adipose CD4 T cells were shown to provide a site of latent viral 

infection in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV).

Another virus capable of persistence and latency is cytomegalovirus (CMV), and it has been long 

implicated in low-level, systemic inflammation. The primary site of persistence for CMV is believed to be the 

salivary gland, but primary sites of latency have been difficult to conclusively identify. CMV infection results in a 

strong T cell response; in an acute infection ~5% of mouse, and up to 40% in some human patients, peripheral 

T cells are specific for CMV antigen. In our hands, we find that ~10% of adipose CD8 T cells in a mouse CMV 

(mCMV) infection are specific to mCMV at early comparable acute infection time points. This suggests that 

adipose tissue is an underappreciated site of viral infection and immune activity during CMV infection. The 

primary hypothesis of this proposal is that mCMV disseminates to adipose tissue, replicates, 

establishes latency, leading to an lifelong CD8 T cell response. Our long-term research objectives are to 

identify the lifelong immunological consequences of CMV infection. The objective of this proposal is to 

determine if mCMV establishes a productive infection within adipose tissue, and the consequences, if any, of 

that infection. As CMV is highly specific for host species, we will employ the mCMV model of infection to 

achieve the primary objective of this proposal through the following specific aims:

AIM 1: Evaluate adipose tissue as a reservoir for replicative and persistent virus. We hypothesize

that adipose tissue is a location of active mCMV replication. To that end we will quantify viral load by plaque 

assay and qPCR in adipose compared to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and salivary glands.

We will determine the extent to which mCMV persists in adipose in a chronically infected mouse using multiple 

modes of reactivation. We will also identify infected cells within adipose. These experiments will determine 

what cells within adipose tissue can harbor replicative and persistent infection.

AIM 2: Determine the response of adipose tissue CD8 T cells during mCMV infection. We

hypothesize that mCMV specific T cells expand in adipose

mCMV specific CD8 T cells following infection. As the im

been fully characterized we will determine the kinetics of

mCMV specific CD8 T cell expansion and proliferation. 

We will determine if local T cells clonally expand or naïve 

cells are constantly recruited to adipose. These 

experiments will provide, for the first time, an 

understanding of adipose tissue mCMV immune 

response.

See Graphical Abstract for Summary of Aims

IMPACT: Upon the completion of these studies, 

we will have significantly advanced the understanding of 

mCMV cell tropism. We will have identified adipose 

tissue as a site of replicative and persistent virus that is 

capable of reactivation. The functional response of CD8 

T cells and their mechanism of recruitment to adipose 

will have been identified. We will also have revealed the 

mechanism of viral spread into adipose tissue. These 

findings will have far reaching implications on the 

consideration of adipose tissue during vaccine design.

 tissue. We have observed a significant expansion of 

mune response to mCMV in adipose tissue has never 
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Research Strategy Page33

Figure 1: Immune Cells in Adipose

Fig 1. The immune system is represented in 

adipose tissue. During homeostasis antiinflammatory macrophages and Tregs 

predominate. Adapted from Sell, H. et al 

(2012) Nat. Rev. Endocrinol.

B. SIGNIFICANCE. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a ubiquitous betaherpesvirus that infects a large percentage of 

people worldwide1,2–4. Infection progresses from an acute replicative cycle leading to a latent and lifelong 

infection5,6. can be damaging in the immune compromised such as immune suppressed transplant patients, 

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patients, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDs) patients, and 

unborn fetuses6–9. The hallmarks of CMV disease progression are not seen in immune competent patients, and 

this is a result of the significant amount of resources that the adaptive immune system dedicates to control 

CMV infections. In fact, 5-10% of CD8 T cells during a primary CMV response can be specific for an antigen 

generated by CMV12–15. The magnitude of this response is largely unparalleled in any other infection, and due 

to this, CMV has been investigated for its role in age-related T cell memory inflation3,5,16–18. Studies of CMV T 

cell inflation and viral dissemination throughout the host have largely been focused upon spleen, lung, liver, 

blood, and salivary glands13,19–22. These studies demonstrate that cell-free virus is spread in fluids that come 

into contact with mucosal barriers, such as saliva and breast milk20,23. However, the contribution of T cells and 

monocytes to the immune response, dissemination, and control of persistence within adipose tissue has never 

been interrogated. Many cells involved in the control and spread of CMV are all represented within adipose 

tissue (Figure 1), and recent reports have demonstrated the viral and parasitic effects on adipose tissue28–30.

Adipose tissue is a heterogeneous tissue found at a variety of anatomical l 31,32

adipose found on the trunks of humans and mice is home to a large proportion of

cells of the innate and adaptive immune systems33–37. Long thought to simply be 

a site of lipid synthesis and energy storage31,32,38, adipose tissue is now regarded 

as the crossroads between host metabolism and immune system 

communications39–42. Indeed, adipose tissue is resident to T cells, B cells, 

macrophages, dendritic cells, NK cells, among others33,35,36,43. Investigation of 

infections and their effect on adipocytes have also increased interest in adipose 

tissue as an immunological site.

Futhermore, adipose tissue of HIV and SIV infected humans 

and monkeys harbored latent virus51. Given these observations, as well as our 

own preliminary data demonstrating a murine CMV (mCMV) specific CD8 T cell 

expansion in adipose tissue at 7 days post infection with mCMV (Figure 3), in 

comparison to uninfected mice, we propose that adipose tissue is a location of 

productive mCMV infection and can possibly represent a site for persistent 

mCMV as well.

This proposal is of significant clinical and biological importance as CMV is

a high vaccine priority52 and there have been no studies demonstrating the 

immune response within adipose tissue specific to mCMV. An understanding of 

the immune response to mCMV within adipose tissue and potential identification 

of a latent reservoir for mCMV will allow for more pointed future therapeutic and 

vaccine designs.

C. INNOVATION. CMV infection and the immunological consequences within 

adipose tissue have never been described. This proposal will provide clear 

evidence that adipose tissue is a site of active viral replication and a location for 

a productive immune response against mCMV during infection. This work 

represents a significant conceptual advancement in our understanding of hostpathogen interactions, and mCMV cellular tropism. Furthermore, the work 

described in this proposal will advance the development of vaccines against

CMV by demonstrating the need for considering adipose tissue specific immune 

responses.

Development of new technologies for the detection of virus study is crucial for

understanding host-pathogen interactions. While not the primary objective, the

technical innovation of this proposal stems from the development of next generatio

specific for viral gene transcripts to be used in flow cytometry analyses.

D. APPROACH. Preliminary Data. Analysis of data17 uploaded by Maecker et al. t

and Analysis Portal (ImmPort) revealed a correlation between adiposity as indicted

(Figure 2) and CMV Index as assayed by Gold Standard Biotechnologies CMV ELI

to us that adipose tissue could play a role in CMV infection, either serving as a pri

ocations . Visceral 

n RNA Prime Flow Probes 

o the Immunology Database 

by waist circumference53,54

SA. These results indicated 

mary site of replicationor

Figure 2: Waist vs CMV Index Grouped

60

40

20

0

0 5 10 15

CMV Index

Fig 2. Waist Circumference as a function of CMVIndex 

as quantified by Gold Standard CMV kit. Data gathered 

from Maecker et al. ImmPort Database. Pearson 

Correlation test p-value = 0.0042 Waist circumference 15

Figure 3: %M38+ of CD8+ T cells

****

10

%

5

0

mCMV+ Naive

Fig 3. Increased frequency of mCMV m38 specific 

CD8 T cells in the adipose of infected C57BL/6 mice 

at 7 dpi. Significance determined by two-tailed 

unpaired t test. p-value < 0.0001
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Research Strategy Page34

allowing for increased viral load, or both. Lending more weight to these hypotheses are published reports 

demonstrating that increasing levels of adipose tissue are also correlated with increased pathogen burden55,56.

These observations led us to explore what occurs within adipose tissue during acute mCMV infection of 

C57BL/6 mice. Mice were infected intraperitoneal (IP) with 3x105 pfu of mCMV and sacrificed at 7 days post 

infection. Abdominal (pre-epididymal) adipose tissue depots were harvested and stained for analysis by flow 

cytometry. We employed a very simple phenotype and tetramer panel (Viability, CD4, CD8, m38 tetramer) to 

determine if there are an increased number or frequency of virus specific CD8 T cells in adipose tissue during 

acute mCMV infections. As can be seen in Figure 3 the CD8 T cells harvested from infected adipose tissue are 

significantly increased in comparison to uninfected mice. We fully expected this to be the result, however this 

data has not been previously reported. These results would suggest mCMV is infecting a component of the 

cellular constituents within adipose tissue and driving an adaptive immune response. Alternatively, mCMV 

antigen could be being presented within adipose regardless of productive replication or virus specific CD8 T 

cells are searching for their cognate antigen in this location following infection.

The long-term goal of our research is to identify the lifelong immunological consequences of CMV 

infection. The objective of this proposal is to determine if mCMV establishes a productive infection within 

adipose tissue. Additionally, we seek to determine mechanisms by which mCMV spreads to adipose tissue, if it 

does, and how antigen specific CD8 T cells arrive to adipose. The primary hypothesis of this proposal is

that mCMV disseminates to adipose tissue, replicates, establishes latency, leading to an lifelong CD8 T 

cell response.

All experiments will use male mice 6-12 weeks of age from the C57BL/6 background. We use males to control 

for sex hormones, and microbiota differences57. We also use this background to take advantage of several 

established transgenic mice. Cohort size and design will be described within the following aims and sub-aims 

and are based upon power requirement analysis. By power analysis group sizes of 8 experimental and 8 

control animals will allow for detection of >50% effect size between groups at β=0.80 and α=0.05. All 

experiments will be carried out, independently, at least twice. All mice will be maintained in the specific 

pathogen free (SPF) animal facilities at The University of Arizona. Procedures will be performed in strict 

accordance with The University of Arizona Animal Care and Use Committee requirements. Adipose tissue 

described herein will refer to the abdominal fat of mice found within the peritoneum and surrounding the 

intestines. This fat pad has been published as pre-epididymal, epididymal, perigonadal, and visceral adipose.

AIM 1: Evaluate adipose tissue as a reservoir for replicative and persistent virus. mCMV reaches 

replicative latency following acute infection. Salivary glands release virion long after initial infection in both mice 

and humans20,58,59. It has been difficult to identify the cell that is most responsible for maintenance of persistent 

viral genome as many cells are susceptible to infection, with several studies implicating cell of the myeloid 

lineage60–62. mCMV research has shown many cells of the adipose tissue, in different contexts, as being 

important for spread and control of mCMV. It is necessary to investigate adipose tissue as a possible site of 

mCMV persistence. The objective of this aim is to determine the extent that adipose tissue serves as a 

reservoir for both replicative and persistent mCMV. We will test the working hypothesis that the cellular 

constituents of adipose tissue can serve as a site for active viral replication and following acute infection are 

sites of viral latency and persistence. We will test our working hypothesis by the approach of quantifying viral 

load within adipose tissue in comparison to previously identified replication and persistent sites. We will 

determine the extent that adipose tissue cellular constituents harbor latent virus by pharmacological, 

radioactive, and tissue explant reactivation of virus. Finally, we will determine the viral load of individually 

sorted cells of both the stromal vascular fraction and adipocyte populations. The rationale for this aim is that 

successful completion of the proposed research will contribute to the identification of persistent mCMV 

replication sites, which to this point have been difficult to identify. The identification of these latent sites of 

infection will provide a targeted location for the development of novel therapeutics designed to completely clear 

CMV. When the proposed studies of Aim 1 have been completed, it is our expectation that adipose tissue will 

have been identified as a site of persistent viral replication.

During infection, does mCMV replicate within adipose tissue? Currently it is unknown what consequence, if 

any, mCMV has within abdominal adipose tissue. We have observed inflationary12,19,65 m38 specific CD8 T 

cells in acutely mCMV-infected adipose tissue from mice. While it is not surprising to observe an immune 

response in this location, we have found no reports demonstrating mCMV specificity. The expansion of CD8 T 

cells in adipose tissue in response to mCMV leads us to the hypothesis that mCMV is actively replicating within 

adipose tissue. Alternatively, it could be that mCMV specific CD8 T cells are searching for cognate antigen 

within adipose tissue rather than being activated. This, sub-aim will determine if adipose tissue serves as a site 

of viral replication during acute mCMV infection. To assess adipose tissue as a virally replicating site during 

acute infection we will infect 24 adult C57BL/6 mice, and compare viral load to 24 uninfected C57BL/6 mice.

We will use the well-characterized Smith strain of mCMV66–69 and infect with 3x105 plaque forming units (pfu)
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Research Strategy Page35

by intraperitoneal (IP) injection. At days 3, 7, and 14 post-infection we will sacrifice mice by isoflurane 

euthanasia. At each time point we will sacrifice 8 mice from the infected and uninfected groups. Adipose tissue, 

PBMCs, spleen, and salivary glands will be taken for viral quantification at each time point. We will determine 

viral load by plaque assay as previously described58,70,71 and by quantitative (qPCR) against DNA, to 

determine viral load, and reverse transcribed cDNA to determine level of activation, of mCMV Immediate-Early 

1 gene (IE-1) as well as Late (L) gene gB72–75. Tissues will be weighed and cut in half to quantify viral load per 

gram. Half of the tissue will be used for plaque assay on the 3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) line as 

previously described76. The remaining half of tissues will be taken for DNA/RNA extraction, as previously 

described77–79, and copy number of IE-1 and gB will be determined. As a control in qPCR we will determine 

copy number of GAPDH. The data will be analyzed using GraphPad Prism using a Two-sample Student’s T 

test between the same tissues and products (I.E. uninfected adipose vs. infected adipose). A p-value < 0.05 

will be considered statistically significant.

Anticipated Results. It is expected that the viral load of adipose tissue to be comparable to that of spleen at day 

three and seven post-infection. At day fourteen post-infection we expect to see a reduction in viral load in 

adipose tissue and an increase in salivary gland as has been reported58,69,80. We anticipate that plaque assays 

at these time points will be sufficient to detect replicating virus. From these experiments we will have 

established adipose tissue and its cellular constituents as a site for productive mCMV replication.

Pitfalls and Alternatives. Our laboratory has experience with cell culture and it is not anticipated that these 

experiments will be technically challenging. The gold standard for mCMV plaque assays has been the use of 

MEFs but these cells are not immortalized and therefore must be repeatedly produced and stocks can vary 

from lot to lot. If these cells do not yield interpretable data or do not form plaques we will switch to a newly 

described protocol that allows for greater viral spreading during assay70. It is entirely possible that mCMV does 

not replicate within adipose tissue. This is not our expectation based upon the increased presence of mCMV 

specific CD8 T cells in comparison to uninfected adipose. If we find no virus, this would suggest that CD8 T 

cells are either searching for their cognate antigen or were trafficking through adipose at the time point we 

looked. Even if this null result occurs the presence of CD8 T cells within adipose tissue even without detectable 

actively replicating virus raises the following questions (i) what signals are these mCMV specific T cells 

receiving to traffic to adipose tissue and (ii) is antigen being presented in the absence of viral replication within 

adipose tissue? The sub-aims to follow this will seek to address these questions regardless of viral replication 

or not and therefore this is not a hindrance to this proposal.

Does the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) or buoyant adipose fraction of adipose tissue contribute higher viral

load? In order to study the stromal vascular fraction of adipose tissue by flow cytometry it is necessary to 

separate SVF cells from adipocytes81,82. During processing a centrifugation step separates the buoyant 

adipocytes and macrophages and leaves the pelletable SVF. The floating fraction and the pelleted fraction are 

a heterogeneous mixture of cells found within adipose tissue. Both fractions are potential targets for mCMV 

infection83–85. We will infect 16 C57BL/6 mice with 3x105 pfu of Smith mCMV by IP injection and at days 3 and 

7 post infection we will sacrifice 8 mice each and harvest adipose tissue. We will process adipose tissue as 

previously described81,82,86, but once we reach the fractionation step we will culture the SVF and the buoyant 

fraction, separately, on a monolayer of MEFs to determine what component of adipose tissue contains 

infectious virus. Cells from SVF and buoyant layer will be quantified by hemacytometer, serially diluted, and 

added to a monolayer of MEFs in RPMI media with 10% fetal bovine serum and broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Plates will be incubated at 37 C with 5 % carbon dioxide. We will monitor plates for plaque formation or

cytopathic effect (CPE) on MEFs. Plaques will be quantified and compared against uninfected fractions of 

equivalent cohort sizes. The data will be analyzed in GraphPad Prism. Statistical significance will be 

determined between SVF and buoyant fraction by Two-sample Student’s T test. A p-value < 0.05 will be 

considered significant.

Anticipated Results. There are four possible outcomes following this experiment (i) the SVF results in viral 

plaque formation, (ii) the buoyant fraction results in viral plaque formation, (iii) both result in plaques, or (iv) 

neither SVF nor buoyant fraction result in plaques. If the first outcome is true then the adipocytes can be 

excluded from the following aims. It is not expected that our second described outcome be observed alone, as 

the SVF contains the canonically infected cells. The third possibility is our expectation and would indicate that 

both the adipocytes and the heterogeneous vascular fraction are susceptible to viral infection. We do not 

expect the fourth outcome to occur based upon antigen specific CD8 T cells being harvested from infected fat.

Pitfalls and Alternatives. We do not anticipate this experiment to be technically challenging and there exist 

several alternative methods to harvest and separate the cellular constituents of adipose tissue81,82,87. We have 

also identified alternative methods within this proposal to use if we have technical challenges using 3T3 

MEFs70. If plaques do not form on the cell monolayers then we will bulk assay both the buoyant and SVF of
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

adipose.

tissue and identify the individually infected cePll t

a

y

g

pe

e

s

3

fr6om both/either the SVF or buoyant fraction of

No virus Aim 2: Determine

Signal for T cells

Fig 4. Summary of experimental progression of Aim 1. We will identify replicative virus in adipose

Reactivate: 

CY, Radiation, Infected Tissue Explants

Buoyant Cells by Flow 

Fraction

Total 

Adipose

Identify 

mCMV Individually -eGFP

Yes virus

SVF

Figure 4: Experimental Progression of Aim 1 

mCMV

adipose tissue and carry out whole cell qPCR for viral DNA of IE-1 and L gene gB. If plaques do not form and 

we do not detect viral products by qPCR then we will conclude that neither adipose nor SVF are infected.

What cells harbor virus within adipose tissue? We will identify the cell types that contribute to mCMV infection 

in vivo. To do this we will make use of a mCMV mutant that has an eGFP within the m157 ORF and expresses 

the immunodominant SIINFEKL peptide. This virus will make any cell infected with mCMV be fluorescent by 

eGFP. We will infect 16 C57BL/6 mice with 3x105 pfu of mCMV-eGFP-SL8 by IP injection88. At day 3 and 7 

post infection we will harvest the adipose tissue and spleens of 8 mice each day. Spleen will be used as a 

positive control. We will make comparisons against uninfected littermates. By flow cytometry we will determine 

the infected cell types of the SVF using specific phenotyping markers for differentiation of macrophages, 

monocytes, neutrophils, T cells, NK cells, B cells, and endothelial cells. If we find that the buoyant fraction of 

adipose tissue is also infected as determined by plaque assay we will include adipocyte markers within our 

flow cytometry panel, as previously described81,82,86. We will identify individual cells that co-express eGFP. 

Flow cytometry data will be collected on our custom-made BD Fortessa flow cytometer (Becton Dickinson, 

Sunnyvale, CA). Data will then be generated for analysis in FlowJo software and analyzed for significant 

differences by using GraphPad Prism using a Two-sample Student’s T test. A p-value < 0.05 will be 

considered statistically significant.

Anticipated Results It is our expectation that macrophages at either end of their polarization will be infected 

with mCMV, as determined by eGFP+ signal. We also expect that virus will infect endothelial cells found within 

adipose tissue. These results would suggest that mCMV is capable of a broad cellular tropism and there are 

multiple cells within adipose tissue that are capable of becoming infected and contributing to viral burden.

Pitfalls and Alternatives. It is possible that the adipose tissue does not serve as a site of primary infection or 

persistence; we absolutely do not expect this to be the case. However, if adipose tissue is not a site of viral 

replication as determined from the above proposed work then we can conclude that there is/are signal(s) that 

attract CD8 T cells to adipose tissue. We will determine these signals by adipose tissue culture explants. This 

experiment is also described below in Aim 2. If we are unable to identify individually infected cells by flow 

cytometry with our fall back of signal amplification with anti-eGFP antibody we will then use a next generation 

RNA-Prime Flow Assay (eBiosciences). We have had probes generated that are specific for Immediate Early 

gene-1 and -2 (IE-1 and IE-2) that are conjugated to a fluorophore. By flow cytometry we will use these probes 

to identify infected cells and then determine infected cells by this method.

Does adipose tissue serve as a site for mCMV reactivation? If we find that adipose tissue serves as a site of 

viral replication as determined by plaque assay and qPCR then we hypothesize that this location can become 

a reservoir for latent virus. mCMV reactivation has been demonstrated to occur stochastically71,88–90, but 

reactivation can also occur during immunosuppression and infection, as seen in HIV infection and during 

transplantation surgery9. We will test our hypothesis by infecting 10 mice per three different treatments (30 

total) C57BL/6 mice with 3x105 pfu of Smith mCMV by IP and allow infection to continue for at least three 

months. We will use three methods of viral reactivation; (i) pharmacological, (ii) radiation, and (iii) tissue culture 

explants. For pharmacological reactivation mice that were infected will be treated with cyclophosphamide (CY) 

as previously described59,71,91. Mice to be analyzed for radiation reactivation will be total-body gamma 

irradiation with a single, sub-lethal dose of 6 Gy from a 137Cs gamma radiation source89. The following 8 days, 

mice will be treated with the antibiotic cotrimoxazole, 240 mg/L of drinking water. Finally, we will harvest the 

adipose tissue of infected mice and culture by adaptation of a previously described protocol22,92,93. Controls 

will compare equivalent numbers of uninfected mice and mice infected for greater than three months without 

intervention. Positive controls will be infected analyze lungs89,92,93. All methods will be quantified by plaque 

assay and qPCR quantification of viral DNA and reverse transcribed cDNA, for viral state of reactivation, at 7-8 

days post reactivation treatment. The data will be analyzed using GraphPad Prism. Significance will be 

determined by a one-way ANOVA. A p-value < 0.05 will be considered statistically significant.

Expected Results. It is expected that adipose tissu

infectious virus following reactivation by drug, radi

that we’ll be able to detect virus from adipose of n

reactivation to have a significantly higher viral load

indicate to us that adipose tissue is a site of

persistence and a reservoir for viral latency. If we 

do not find virus following reactivation then we will 

conclude that adipose tissue is not a site of 

mCMV latency and persistence.

Pitfalls and Alternatives. We expect that CY will 

be sufficient to reactivate viral replication in

e at greater than 3 months post infection will provide 

ation, or tissue culture explants. Furthermore, we anticipate 

on-reactivation infected mice. We do, however, expect 

 than the untreated infected littermates. This result will 

Research Strategy
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Research Strategy Page37

adipose tissue due to its immune suppressant properties. However, if we are unable to find replicating virus in 

mice treated with CY we will then try a coupled immune suppression approach. We will use CY as well as 

depleting antibodies for CD8, CD4, and NK cells94–98. If following this coupled approach we do not find 

reactivated virus in adipose tissue, as well as through the other methods, then we will conclude that through 

this method virus is not reactivated. It is possible, but also highly unexpected, that adipose tissue does not 

serve as a site of viral replication in the chronic time point that can be reactivated by any of these three means. 

This would make our observation of an increase in m38 mCMV specific CD8 T cells even more interesting as it 

would suggest that adipose tissue serves as a site of antigen scanning and/or cytokine signaling changes.

Summary. From these above described experiments we have placed fallbacks and contingencies to determine 

if adipose tissue serves as a site of viral replication and latency, as well as identified the cells harboring virus 

through three separate methods. If we are unable to find reproducing virus we will determine (Aim 2) the 

signaling molecule(s), cytokine, chemokines, or adipokines, that are responsible for the trafficking of CD8 T 

cells to adipose tissue (Figure 4). This aim will provide the first definitive evidence of mCMV replication within 

adipose tissue. Furthermore, we will have evaluated adipose tissue as a reservoir of latent mCMV infection.

Therefore, these experiments provide a significant advancement in our understanding of the contribution of 

adipose tissue to the overall viral load of an organism.

AIM 2: Determine the response of adipose tissue CD8 T cells during mCMV infection. The immune 

response to mCMV during acute or chronic infection within adipose tissue has never been reported. The 

objective of this aim is to determine what phenotypic and functional changes occur to CD8 T cells within, or 

trafficking to, adipose tissue during mCMV infection. We will identify these functional changes by testing the 

working hypothesis that mCMV establishes productive replication within adipose tissue that leads to a CD8 T 

cell response. We will test our working hypothesis by infecting C57BL/6 mice with the Smith strain mCMV and 

determine the kinetics of mCMV specific CD8 T cell expansion. We will carry out a phenotypic and intracellular 

cytokine staining of CD8 T cells by flow cytometry to determine the epitope specific T cells that expand and if 

these cells contribute to the phenomenon known as memory inflation12,19,65,88. The rationale for this aim is that 

we have observed an increased frequency of mCMV specific CD8 T cells in the adipose tissue of infected 

mice. This data would suggest that mCMV is either replicating within adipose or CD8 T cells specific to mCMV 

traffic to adipose following infection. When the proposed studies of Aim 2 have been completed, it is our 

expectation that adipose tissue will be a necessary site for investigation during infections. Such a finding would 

be of importance, because this work represents the first time the adipose tissue CD8 T cell response to mCMV 

infection has been characterized. Insight into adipose tissue immunological response is of importance as its 

impact on controlling infectious disease is currently incomplete.

Are antigen specific CD8 T cells in the adipose tissue during infection? From the above experiments we will 

have determined viral load of mCMV during acute infection in adipose tissue compared to previously described 

sites of infection. In this sub-aim we will determine the extent to which T cells found in adipose tissue 

contribute to memory inflation seen in the periphery during mCMV infections19,65,88. CMV infection, in mice and 

humans, leads to a robust CD8 T cell response. In the C57BL/6 mouse model of infection the CD8 T cell 

response is characterized by distinct memory CD8 T cell patterns12. During the acute infection most epitope 

specific cells contract however there are identified epitopes that continue to expand and have the short-lived 

effector cell phenotype (CD62Llow, IL-7Rα−, IL-15Rβ−). This phenomenon is termed memory inflation and due 

to the phenotype of these cells it is believed they are actively responding to antigen99–101. This sub-aim will 

determine the extent to which adipose tissue mCMV specific CD8 T cells follow the known epitope contraction 

and expansion, as well as the phenotypic and functional properties of T cells during mCMV infection. We 

hypothesize that CD8 T cells that are specific for an epitope of mCMV are recruited to adipose tissue during 

the course of infection. Furthermore, we hypothesize that these cells will possess the short-lived effector cell 

phenotype. To test this hypothesis we will infect 56 C57BL/6 mice with 3x105 pfu of Smith strain mCMV by IP 

injection. At days 7, 14, 21, 30, 90, 150, and 300 post-infection we will sacrifice 8 mice and analyze tetramer 

specific CD8 T cells. These time points are selected to consider the acute epitope contraction as well as 

memory inflation. We will include in our analysis markers for CD4 T cells, as previous studies in the context of 

obesity have demonstrated a loss of regulatory CD4 T cells44,102,103. We will collect peripheral blood as a 

positive control for T cell expansion as this has been recently described in the blood12. Adipose and blood will 

be processed and stained for flow cytometry. The data that we collect will be analyzed in GraphPadPrism.

Significant differences between the number and frequency of tetramer specific CD8 T cells in adipose and

blood will be determined by a Two-sample Student’s T test, comparisons made against uninfected mice of 

equivalent cohort size. A p-value < 0.05 will be considered statistically significant.

Anticipated Results. It is our expectation that adipose tissue specific CD8 T cells will mirror the reported 

expansion and contraction kinetics seen in blood, with contraction of m45 specific cells after 7 days of infection 

and a continued expansion of m38 and m139 tetramer specific cells. Based on our hypothesis that adipose
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Research Strategy Page38

tissue is a site of latent viral replication we do expect that m38 memory inflation will occur faster within adipose 

tissue when compared to blood. We anticipate that the number and frequency of CD8 T cells that have the 

short-lived effector memory phenotype will be greater in adipose than the population found in blood.

Pitfalls and Alternatives. We fully expect that mCMV CD8 T cell expansion and contraction within adipose 

tissue will follow the same pattern as seen in the periphery and spleen of infected mice. However, it’s possible 

that the expansion and contraction of certain viral epitopes would vary. Therefore, if we do not observe the 

same antigen specific CD8 T cell expansion and following memory inflation we will determine the epitopes that 

adipose tissue CD8 T cells are specific for by stimulating CD8 lymphocytes ex vivo from adipose tissue of 

infected mice. This technique has been described elsewhere12, but briefly; K41 cells, an SV-40 transformed H2b fibroblast cell line will be plated at 4000 cells per well in a 96-well plate and transfected with plasmid DNA 

from ORF library. CD8 T cells from adipose tissue of infected mice will be sorted and plated at a density of 

1x104 per well in the presence of brefeldin A (BFA) and incubated for 7 hours at 37 C. Cells from wells will then 

be stained for CD8a, CD44, CD62L, and intracellular stained for IFNγ and quantified by flow cytometry. The 

percentage of T cells producing IFNγ will be quantified for each epitope. While it is unexpected that this will be 

required, this experiment will provide insight into any differences in mCMV response of adipose tissue CD8 T 

cells, as well as differences of cells that traffic to adipose tissue.

What signal(s) recruits T cells to adipose tissue during acute and chronic time points? In obese adipose tissue 

a myriad of cytokine, chemokine, and adipokines are secreted that leads to the recruitment of leukocytes 

resulting in chronic low-grade inflammation largely believed to lead to insulin resistance and glucose 

intolerance35,44. As mentioned in Aim 1, we seek to determine what signals are calling for the recruitment of T 

lymphocytes to adipose tissue during mCMV infections. We will infect 40 C57BL/6 mice with 3x105 pfu of Smith 

mCMV by IP. At days 1, 2, 3, 7, and 100 days post infection we will harvest adipose tissue from 8 mice per 

time point and culture half of the adipose and SVF, freezing the other half in order to validate chemokines by 

qPCR following initial assay. Supernatants of adipose tissue and SVF will be collected one day post culture 

and then by Luminex Bead-based Multiplex Assay (R&D Systems) we will determine what cytokine, 

chemokine, and/or adipokines are upregulated at these time points using commercially available kit 

ProcartaPlex Mouse Cytokine & Chemokine Panel 1 (26 plex) (eBioscience). Data will be collected on a 

MAGPIX (Luminex Corp.) instrument from the Kristian Doyle Lab (University of Arizona). Data will be analyzed 

in GraphPad Prism and significance will be determined by one-way ANOVA comparisons between uninfected 

littermates. We will then validate any significantly increased molecules by qPCR. These experiments will be 

used for future study to deplete and/or knockout the signaling molecules we find to be upregulated.

Anticipated Results.

We expect that IL-6, TNFα, RANTES, CXCL12 will all be upregulated in 

comparison to uninfected adipose tissue. These chemokines and cytokines have been studied for their effects 

in T cell migration. If these molecules are indeed upregulated, then they will be correlated with the increase in 

T cells we find in infected adipose tissue. For future study we will attempt to disrupt the receptors, CCR5 and 

CCR6, to determine the extent to which T cell migration is ablated during infection.

Pitfalls and Alternatives.

Summary. The experiments proposed in Aim 2 will characterize the CD8 T cell immune response within 

adipose tissue. We will have defined the kinetic response of mCMV specific CD8 T cell expansion and 

contraction, as well as the contribution, if any, of adipose tissue T cells to memory inflation seen in the 

periphery during mCMV infections. We will have determined the crucial signaling molecules necessary for T 

cell response to mCMV within adipose tissue.

Overall Summary and Conclusions

The Nikolich-Zugich laboratory is uniquely positioned to carry out the above-described work. We have 

demonstrated proficiency in the use of flow cytometry for analysis of single cells and whole cell 

populations3,122–124. The contributions of our laboratory to an understanding of lifelong CMV infection5 will now 

address a completely unexplored area in the context of adipose tissue. The above-proposed work represents a 

significant advancement in our understanding of mCMV infection and the contribution of adipose tissue to an 

immunological response. Through these experiments we will have determined if mCMV is capable of 

replicating and persisting in adipose tissue and the consequential CD8 T cell immune response. These findings 

would increase our understanding of mCMV tropism and consequential immune response.
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Respective Contributions Page39

Respective Contributions:

The mentor plan was designed in collaboration by the Supervisor (Nikolich-Zugich) and Principal Investigator 

(PI, Contreras) based upon curriculum completed prior to joining the laboratory and work occurring within the 

laboratory. The research strategy and proposal was drafted and submitted to the PI’s qualifying exam 

committee. Minor edits based upon feedback of the committee were made.
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Selection of Sponsor and Institution Page40

SELECTION OF SPONSOR AND INSTITUTION

Sponsor: Dr. Nikolich-Zugich is a Professor and Department head of the University of Arizona 

Department of Immunobiology and Co-direction of the Arizona Center on Aging. He sits as editor of 

several journals, members of various committees, and organizer of a variety of conferences. His 

laboratory is focused on the age related decline of the immune system and specifically that of the T 

cells. The long-term focuses of the lab are the basic mechanisms of T cell function, immunity to 

infection in older adults, immune rejuvenation, chronic infection, and the impact of inflammation and 

nutritional intervention in aging, among others. I selected Dr. Nikolich-Zugich’s laboratory because of 

my interest in age related changes to biology and his work in calorie restriction and immune function. 

Dr. Nikolich-Zugich’s expertise in the effect of lifelong infection with cytomegalovirus and 

immunological parameters provides crucial support to the aims of this proposal. Furthermore, the size 

and facilities available to his laboratory are a tremendous boost to experimental work and design.

Institution: I chose to attend the University of Arizona for several reasons. I acknowledge that 

movement from institutions are the norm and generally supported to provide a wide array of view 

points teaching styles, however being in a military family I moved every three years and the 

opportunity to live for an extended period of time in one location was very appealing to me. Second, 

and most important, the facilities, collaboration, level of openness, and the energy of the principal 

investigators in the Department of Immunobiology are contagious. The facilities are some of the best 

I’ve seen and new facilities and buildings are being constantly built and upgraded. Furthermore, Dr. 

Nikolich-Zugich has created an environment that, I believe, has provided unparalleled opportunity for 

success. For these reasons and more the University of Arizona has provided me so much room for 

personal and academic success and growth.

Additionally, our laboratory has collaborations with several top immunologists and virologists that 

have contributed greatly to the development of these and other projects within our laboratory. As 

mentioned above, the collaboration, openness, and energy has allowed for the free movement of 

ideas. Several lab groups in the department study cytomegalovirus, the focus of this proposal, and 

the investigation of one pathogen from multiple different angles will provide extraordinary support in 

the development of this proposal and future work.
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Training in theResponsibleConductofResearch Page41

Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research

The University of Arizona offers a certificate in RCR education designed to meet NIH guidelines. The certificate 

requires a minimum of nine (9) hours of RCR instruction, comprised primarily of live workshops, presentations, 

academic coursework and/or face-to-face discussions led and facilitated by faculty, compliance officers, and 

mentors. The NIH RCR Certificate may be earned by taking an approved course for academic credit or by 

completing the following workshop-based curriculum:

Core Workshop: 1.5 hrs

- Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research (choose one of the following): Introduction to RCR (faceto-face workshop) or Online Introduction to RCR (CITI)

Five Elective Workshops: 7.5 hrs

- Select from RCR Workshop Series (see 2016-2017 schedule below)

- Up to 3 hours of supplemental instruction from faculty mentor(s) may count toward the elective requirement.

Sample 2016-2017 RCR Workshop Schedule (Visit rgw.arizona.edu/rcr for most up to date schedule) 

Fall 2016:

September 9 or 16 Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research 

September 30 Ethics of Research with Human Subjects

October 14 Ethics and Practice of Mentoring

October 21 Animal Research: Ethical and Regulatory Considerations 

October 28 Data Management, Acquisition, and Ownership

November 11 Ethics, Integrity, and the Handling of Research Misconduct 

November 18 Ethics of Authorship and Publication

Spring 2017 - Dates TBD: Conflict of Interest, Ethics and Practice of Peer Review, Ethics of Research with 

Human Subjects, Ethics of Collaborative Research and Working with Industry, Introduction to Safe Laboratory 

Practices, Ethical Considerations in Biomedical Research, and Ethics of Overlapping Publications.

Training Completion Deadline: At the University of Arizona the NIH RCR Certificate program must be initiated 

within 30 days of the post-award date and completed within one calendar year after the post-awarddate.

Training Topics: RCR educational topic areas include but are not limited to: Animal Subjects Protection**; 

Collaborative Science; Conflict of Interest; Data Acquisition, Management, Sharing and Ownership; Human 

Subjects Protection**; Mentor/Trainee Relationships; Peer Review; Publication Practices and Responsible 

Authorship; and Research Misconduct. **Special Note: At the University of Arizona, research with human 

subjects (orcr.arizona.edu/hspp) and animals (orcr.arizona.edu/iacuc) require specific training requirements 

that are additional to and are not satisfied by the RCR training requirements described in this Institutional Plan 

for NIH-required RCR training.

Contact Hours Required: The University of Arizona requires a minimum of 9 hours of RCR instruction to earn 

the NIH RCR Certificate. However, more hours are encouraged.

Instructional Format: At least 7.5 hours must be comprised of live instructional formats such as workshops, 

academic course hours, and face-to-face discussions with faculty mentor(s) and peers. The University of 

Arizona encourages NIH-funded scholars, trainees, and fellows to participate in as much live instruction as 

possible. No more than 1.5 hours of supplemental online instruction in RCR may count toward RCR Certificate. 

Tracking and Verification of Hours: Principal Investigators conducting NIH-supported research are 

responsible for ensuring that all students and postdoctoral researchers associated with the award complete the 

RCR training requirements as described above. Individuals should keep documentation of the RCR training 

they receive, including all workshops and face-to-face discussions with faculty mentors.

Monitoring Compliance: The University of Arizona, through the Office for Research and Discovery, is 

responsible for certifying that the RCR training plan is in place and verifying certificate completion. UAccess 

Learning will be the primary tool for this verification.

Consequences of Noncompliance: Noncompliance with the NIH requirements for RCR training may result in 

the forfeiture of research funds and sanctions against future NIH or other federal agency research funding, in 

addition to any institutional sanctions pursuant to relevant UA personnel or other policies.

The Value of RCR: Fulfillment of NIH requirements in Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training is just 

one, albeit very useful, component of training generations of University of Arizona researchers in the highest 

professional standards. Professional excellence in research includes a dedication to integrity. Education in the 

responsible conduct of research meets more than just regulatory standards and requirements. It also 

promotes ethical professional values and behaviors.
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Sponsor andCo-Sponsor Statements Page42

Sponsor Section and Statement

1. Research Support Available

Source Application ID Project Number Title of Principal FY FY Amount

Program Investigator Start End

NIA 8842072 5R21AG045734- LONGEVITY Nikolich-Zugich, 2015 2017 177,449

02 EXTENSION Janko

AND 

IMMUNE 

FUNCTION 

IN AGING

(R21)

NIA 9060874 5R01AG048021- IMPACT OF Nikolich-Zugich, 2016 2019 456,185

03 CMV UPON Janko

T-CELL 

AGING AND 

IMMUNE

DEFENSE

2. Sponsor’s Previous Fellows/Trainees

With regard to this I have trained and mentored 11 doctoral students (10 graduated with Ph.D., 

one with M.Sc) and 20 postdoctoral trainees, and am currently training/mentoring one doctoral 

student, 2 postdoctoral trainees and 5 junior faculty/clinical fellows with K or R awards. Of these, 11 

former postdoctoral trainees hold faculty or senior industry positions, and of 10 former Ph.D. students, 

two are in faculty positions and 6 have continued postdoctoral education. Below is a sample of five 

representative former trainees:

Position in Nikolich Current Position and

Name Laboratory Institution

Postdoctoral Fellow, Kristin Renkema Predoctoral University of Minnesota

Research Associate,

Nicholas Fox, M.Sc. Predoctoral Columbia University, New 

York, NY

Postdoctoral Fellow, Jason L. Pugh Predoctoral Stanford University

Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale Emily Goldberg Predoctoral University

Senior Scientist, Roche, Vesna Pulko, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Zurich, Switzerland

3. Training Plan, Environment, Research Facilities.

Training Plan

Formal coursework at the University of Arizona for Nico will encompass his required and elective 

courses towards his Ph.D. in Immunobiology. These courses include general cell and molecular biology 

courses: MCB 595E Topics in Research, IMSD (2 units); MCB 528L Microbial Genetics Lab (2 units); MCB 

528R Microbial Genetics (3 units); MCB 568 Nucleic Acids (4 units); MCB 516A Statistics Bioinformatics and 

Genomic Analysis (3 units), and IMB 565 Principles and Molecular Mechanisms of Microbial Diseases (3 

units), all of which are in progress and will be over by the end of Spring, 2015; and IMB 564 Advanced Topics 

(3 units); IMB 521 Scientific Writing (2 units); MCB 695E Science, Society and Ethics (1 unit) that he will take in
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Sponsor andCo-Sponsor Statements Page43

the Fall 2015; and the Seminar Series Course IMB 595A (1 unit) / IMB 695A (1 unit) that run throughout his 

studies until graduation. Nico has already completed with high marks two courses: MCB 577 Principles of Cell 

Biology (4 units) and IMB 548 Basic Immunological Concepts (3 units),

To complement this with specific knowledge in the Biology of Aging, he will be attending the ArizonaMed 

(Medical Student Curriculum at the University of Arizona) classes devoted to aging within the Life Cycle block, 

including the Biology of Aging; Aging and Cancer; and a series of translational and clinical lectures on delirium, 

dementia and other pertinent issues in gerontology and geriatrics.

Nico participates in the Seminar Series course (IMB595/695), which, amongst other activities, requires him to 

present his work once a year to an audience composed of faculty and trainees from the Department of 

Immunobiology, the Arizona Center on Aging and other departments and centers with interest in 

immunobiology and aging, including, but not limited to, Departments of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Cellular & 

Molecular Medicine, Pharmacology, Physiology, Bioengineering and others. Critical thinking, clarity of 

presentation, presentation style, content and density are all evaluated by his peers and teachers. Moreover, 

that same venue brings about top immunologists, many of whom are interested in aging. In the past year 

alone, we have had Drs. Charles Surh (Immune homeostasis in aging); Michael Diamond (Immunity to 

flaviviruses with aging), Elias Haddad (Innate immune defects with aging). This past spring semester, we also 

focused on proteins in the aging process and together with Departments of Molecular and Cell Biology and 

Cellular and Molecular Medicine, we hosted Drs. Ana Maria Cuervo (proteostasis and aging) and Rick 

Morimoto (Protein integrity during the aging process). We plan to continue this in the upcoming season with 

visits by Dr Vojo Deretic (Autophagy in immunity and aging); Shannon Turley (Genentech, Inc.; aging of 

secondary lymphoid organs) and Derek Huffman (Einstein; aging and metabolism).

Environment.

The “Advances in Aging” lecture series at the University of Arizona, as well as the “Frontiers in Medical 

Research” are two of the main venues that bring extramural researchers working on biology of aging to 

Tucson. Nico will continue to be active in attending the seminars and meeting the speakers, which, over the 

past few years, included Drs David Hammerman, John Burton, Kevin High, Jeremy Walston, Daniel Goldstein, 

Randy Strong, Richard Besdine, Richard A. Miller, William Hall, Vishwa Deep Dixit and others.

Furthermore, Nico is now a member of the American Aging Association and will be attending the Annual 

Meeting in June 2017, and yearly thereafter; he will further be encouraged to attend the annual GSA meeting. 

He will be expected to present his work either in a Poster or Oral Presentation format for every meeting he 

attends.

Nico will be applying to attend the NIA Advanced Course on the Biology of Aging, held by the Nathan 

Shock Centers, probably slightly later in his graduate career (4th year). This course would be supremely useful 

to his development, albeit we realize that the preference for attendance is usually given to advanced 

postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty. In addition, if the Molecular Biology of Aging course is repeated during 

his Ph.D. training (MBL, Woods Hole, MA), he will apply to attend.

Nico is a graduate student in my laboratory and is part of our regular laboratory meetings that are 

entirely devoted to the immunology of aging, every Friday for 1.5h; moreover, we meet regularly to review his 

direct progress and results every other week for one hour at minimum. During the period of manuscript 

preparation, preparation for committee meetings or presentations (departmental Research-In-Progress, 

University, College or extra mural poster or oral presentation) that frequency is increased to up to several times 

a week, until we both feel that Nico is ready to present his work externally. Over and above that in Spring 2015 

we established Nico’s Thesis Committee. There will be regular meetings (2-3/year) of Nico’s committee, which 

will oversee his progress toward the Ph.D. thesis.

To further illustrate the environment, I would like to provide a brief overview: I am Professor and Head, 

Department of Immunobiology, and co-Director of the Arizona Center on Aging. I am leading or am part several 

large collaborative studies on immune aging, using rodent, Rhesus macaques (RM) and/or human models –a 

N01 contract to evaluate vulnerability to the West Nile virus in elderly; a N01 contract, based in Hiroshima, 

Japan, involving five US groups and 12 Japanese groups to evaluate the impact of radiation upon immune 

aging; and an immediately past collaborative transatlantic grant to connect immune aging studies between 

human and rodent model (with Prof. Arne Akbar). Furthermore, I have just finished a collaborative grant to
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Sponsor andCo-Sponsor Statements Page44

investigate rebalancing of T-cell pools by immune modulation and rejuvenation in aging primates (with Prof. 

Louis Picker), and am awaiting review of a P01 application submitted to NIA, to understand and correct 

molecular basis of thymic involution and peripheral T cell maintenance failure in aging (with Profs. Ellen Richie

– MD Anderson; Lauren Ehrlich – Univ. of Texas, Austin; Nancy Manley – Univ. of Georgia; Marcel van den 

Brink – Sloan-Kettering and Charles Surh, Postech Institute). My entire group is heavily involved in studies of 

immune senescence, and we are engaged in several multidisciplinary studies with colleagues investigating 

cellular stress mTOR and aging (with Drs. Andrew Capaldi, UA Dept of. Molecular and Cellular Biology), 

nuclear 3-D organization in the course of aging and CMV infection (Drs Giovanni Bosco, Dartmouth Univ., and 

Felicia Goodrum, the UA BIO5 Institute), mTOR inhibition in metabolic, neurosensory and immunological aging 

(Drs. Theodore Price – UT Southwestern, Heddwen Brooks-UA, Sourav Ghosh - Yale, Kirsten Limesand – UA, 

John Konhilas – UA - Depts. Of Pharmacology, Physiology, Cell Biol. and Anatomy), and the ability of 

thermography to predict propensity for pressure ulcer in frail and resilient older adults (Drs. David Armstrong, 

Manish Bharara, Mindy Fain and Jane Mohler, Dept. of Surgery and the Arizona Center on Aging). Nico will be 

thoroughly exposed to all these scientific influences and contents. There are initiatives in microbiome and 

aging centered in our department and the Arizona Center on Aging, and we have a Biology of Aging Research 

Interest Group, encompassing about 35 scientists across campus. Nico will attend quarterly meetings of that 

group too.

Research Facilities

Laboratory space of 2,000 sq. ft. equipped with benches, desks, sinks, water, pressurized air, vacuum, etc. 

on the second floor of the Medical Research Building (MRB) of the University of Arizona College of Medicine. 

Additional dedicated tissue culture space of 300 sq. ft. is available adjacent to the laboratory space. Space for 

3,500 mice and 30 rats is available to the investigator in the main vivarium (Building 201), as well as in the 

shared basement between the MRB and Keating buildings. That includes dedicated ABSL-2 and ABSL-3 areas 

for containment work with pathogens. All facilities are AALAAC accredited and staffed with full-time 

veterinarians and animal support staff. Core facilities: Transmission and scanning electron microscopes are 

available in the 4th floor of LSN building on a fee-for-service-basis. A facility for automated DNA sequencing 

and oligonucleotide synthesis is available on a fee-for-service-basis in the Keating building adjacent to MRB. 

Protein sequencing and mass spectrophotometry analysis are available at the College of Pharmacy.

Microarray and proteomic state-of-the-art facilities within the Arizona Research Labs are located in the 

adjacent Keating building and are available at a fee-for-service basis. Flow cytometry sorting core facilities are 

available both in the MRB building and at the Arizona Cancer Center across the street. Arizona Cancer Center 

also houses the Cobalt source animal and cell irradiator. Other state-of-the-art core facilities including, but not 

limited to, the Transgenic Animal Immunohistochemistry and Animal Health Core are available on campus. In 

addition, the following equipment is available directly in the laboratory: CO2 incubators, phase microscopes, 

inverted microscopes, centrifuges, PCR machines (including real time), a gel imaging system, tissue culture 

hoods and freezers (-80 C and -20 C) are present in the laboratory. Shared gamma and beta counters, DNA 

sequencers (ABI 3100 is available in our lab) and ultracentrifuges are on our floor. Available in this building 

are spectrophotometers, HPLC

4. Number of Fellows/Trainees to be Supervised During the Fellowship

Two, in addition to Nico:

Heather Thompson, Postdoctoral Fellow 

Mladen Jergovic, Postdoctoral Fellow

5. Applicant’s Qualifications and Potential for a Research Career

Nico Contreras is an exceptional candidate for this Fellowship. He came to my laboratory following 

successful undergraduate and masters studies, the latter accomplished in a bacteriology/engineering 

laboratory, under the tutelage of Dr Linda Powers. He was therefore more mature than an average, out-ofundergrad Ph.D. student. He distinguished himself quickly, both by the ability to assimilate complex concepts
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Sponsor andCo-Sponsor Statements Page45

and experimental constructs and by the ability to put that knowledge to work when thinking about and 

designing experiments.

Moreover, he quickly came up with a well-defined set of experimental interests, that were unusually 

mature and shaped for an early-stage graduate student. He focused on the intersection of immunity, 

metabolism and aging, with a specific aim to address obesity in the context of these three themes. He started 

working on our collaborative projects with Drs Luigi Fontana (Washington University) and Valter Longo 

(University of Southern California) addressing effects of calorie restriction or its modifications upon the function 

of immune system and the overall physiology of the organism. He also bridged the mouse and human 

experimental models very nicely in the course of his initial training in my lab, providing him a perspective for 

translational work.

However, the most telling predictor of Nico’s potential and future success is the fact that he came up 

with a research project that required little to no input from me. His ideas were highly original and he 

synthesized them nicely into the present proposal. He assembled the reagents, methods and support to 

address a question whether and to what extent direct infection of the adipose tissue with a persistent virus 

(cytomegalovirus, CMV) can impact inflammation, immunity and metabolic dysfunction, particularly if evaluated 

over the lifespan and into aging. I have just presented his preliminary data at the FASEB Science Research 

Conference in Big Sky, Montana, on Aug. 3, 2016, and was greeted by significant and strong enthusiasm of 

the audience, that lauded this new line of investigation.

Nico is a good experimentalist already, and has already grown in that regard by leaps and bounds 

every semester. He is an adept organizer, highly resourceful and able to mobilize his laboratory colleagues to 

help him when needed with complex harvests and organ processing. He is also eager to lend a hand himself 

and help others. He covers the literature well and explores novel approaches appropriately. He is not shy 

about introducing new techniques, and already possesses an impressive skill set. Finally, he wrote the 

application with only cursory input from myself, demonstrating considerable thought and writing skills.

I therefore view Nico as a future leader in academic medicine and research, addressing highly pertinent 

health care issue (obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes) in the context of aging. This area remains 

woefully underexplored and poorly understood and his original ideas and the ability to perform well controlled 

experiments will undoubtedly be yielding high returns in the immediate, intermediate and long-term future. He 

is an exceptionally well qualified and well suited candidate for the individual predoctoral research fellowship 

(F31).
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Description of Institutional Environment and Commitment to Training Page46

DESCRIPTION OF INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT

Nico A. Contreras is situated in an ideal clinical research environment, replete with resources to facilitate 

training and help him develop into a successful investigator in immunobiology and virology.

The University of Arizona (UA) is the leading public research university in the American Southwest. UA 

provides an unusually interactive interdisciplinary academic community, highly conducive to the 

proposed project. UA is a land grant public university and has a 387- acre campus in Tucson, Arizona. The 

campus includes 159 buildings on the main campus and 25 buildings at the adjacent Health Sciences 

Center. With close to 40,000 students, 20 Colleges, and over 300 academic programs, the UA provides a

rich environment for interacting with students, faculty and researchers from many diverse disciplines. The 

University’s commitment to research was recognized by its ranking from the National Science Foundation as 

19th among public universities in the US for research. The UA is one of 63 members of the prestigious 

Association of American Universities and has over $625 million in annual research funding.

The university is comprised of 13 colleges, one branch campus in Sierra Vista, and has expanded over the 

last few years in its colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy and Public Health to downtown Phoenix. The UA also 

has two supporting colleges—Honors and Outreach—and 76 research centers. More than 345 

undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs are offered on a semester schedule.

Educational programs designed to meet the demand for virtual, hybrid, and distance offerings, are added, 

coordinated, and managed through the Outreach College. The UA offers a range of courses that cover 

fundamental and advanced concepts and analytic methods pertaining to the design, analysis and interpretation 

of research studies. Furthermore, the University of Arizona is strongly committed to diversity, with greater than 

25% of graduate and professional students being of an ethnically diverse background.

The University of Arizona’s Department of Immunobiology has a diverse array of faculty members involved in 

numerous research foci, providing broad and deep technical training on multiple platforms. Research in the 

department are centered in various areas, including neuroimmunology, adaptive, innate and microbial signaling 

(cellular and subcellular), autoimmunity, bacteriology, parasitology, aging, and virology. The Department 

promotes a collaborative environment, bolstered by the open laboratory space design within the Medical 

Research Building. Further collaboration is encouraged during weekly joint laboratory meetings of the NikolichZugich, Schenten, Frelinger, Kuhns, and Wu laboratories, of which Nico is currently the organizer. Equipment 

is often shared between multiple laboratories including the flow cytometers, PCR machines, microscopes, and 

AutoMACS.

The Department also holds weekly joint student seminars with the Department of Cellular and Molecular 

Medicine to develop cross-disciplinary collaboration and communication. Furthermore, there is a weekly 

Immunobiology Journal Club that critically discuss current original basic, clinical and health services research 

articles linked to immunobiology; Nico is also the student organizer for this course. As alluded to in the 

Sponsor’s Section, the Department holds the annual Frontiers in Immunobiology Symposium and has access 

to several cross-departmental seminars. Previously invited speakers include Drs. Charles Surh (Immune 

homeostasis in aging); Michael Diamond (Immunity to flaviviruses with aging), Ellias Haddad (Innate immune 

defects with aging) and others.

By attending these symposia and seminars, Nico has ample opportunities for intellectual interactions with 

immunobiologists and scientists with a variety of focuses. Opportunities for intellectual interactions with 

viologists, biostatisticians, immunologists, and other scientists are also available for Nico at UA and its 

community.

The University of Arizona’s Department of Immunobiology PhD program is on average a 5-year graduation 

cycle. Coursework is completed within 1.5 years into the program, with a continuation of Journal Club, Joint 

Student Seminars, and Departmental Seminars until graduation. The qualifying exam is to be completed by the 

end of the 2nd year and includes an R01 style grant submission followed by an oral defense using the written 

submission as a framework for discussion, questions, and future experimental designs. Formal progress is 

followed by submission of several documents to the University’s online UAccess portal, where committees, 

announcements, and results are submitted and available.
Contact PD/PI: Contreras, Nico

Vertebrate Animals Page47

Vertebrate Animals

Use of animals

Male or female mice of varying ages (dominantly 3 months to 21 months) on the C57BL/6 

genetic background (congenic, transgenic and targeted mutant derivatives) will be used for Specific 

Aims 1 and 2. As to date, we have found no sex-associated difference in immune responses between 

old male and female mice in response to cytomegalovirus (CMV), we will use males dominantly for 

this study.

Animals will be used for: (i) lymphoid organ harvest and adipose harvest for analysis of 

cytokine/chemokine and cellular (primarily T cell, macrophages, and NK cell) immune responses; (ii) 

blood and/or serum collection by retro-orbital bleeding or cardiac puncture (>200 ul); (iii) 

subcutaneous or intraperitoneal immunization for infection with live CMV (Smith strain and mutant 

derivaties). A number of animals could also be used for adoptive cell transfer followed by 

immunization and/or infection.

Justification for use

Mice are a logical and necessary choice for investigation of lifelong CMV infection and the 

effects on adipose tissue due to the similarity of CMV infection in both humans and mice, the 

existenece of congenic and recombinant strains of mice, defined genetics, availability of cell surface 

markers for flow cytometry, specific molecular probes, and monoclonal antibodies. Furthermore, a 

lifelong investigation on CMV infection and the consequences on human adipose tissue would not be 

feasible under the scope of this fellowship. The number of animals required provides statistical power 

needed for each experiment. For most experiments using 8 animals/groups allows us to observe

>30% difference between groups with 80% power at p<0.05. Power calculations were based on 

preliminary data.

Veterinary care

A full-time veterinarian is in charge of the animal care program at the University of Arizona.

The facility is accredited by AAALAC and in full compliance with NIH, as well as other federal, state, 

and local regulations and guidelines. All of the studies are covered by the IACUC UA protocol 08-102.

Procedures to minimize discomfort

Discomfort and injury to animals will be limited to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of 

scientifically valuable research. Analgesia, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs will be used as 

determined by our veterinarian. Any discomfort or distress during bleeding will be minimized with the 

use of inhalation anesthetics such as isoflurane. If the mice experience distress (manifested by 

agitation), we will immediately halt the procedure. Mice will be observed until active after bleeding, 

injections, and surgery. All procedures have been approved under IACUC #08-102.

All injectables will be purchased as a pharmaceutical grade solution. All of the saline is 

purchased as sterile USP grade saline.

Euthanasia

Animals will be sacrificed by isoflurane overdose.