Case Western Reserve University · BiochemistryHIV Persistence and Neuroinflammation Lab
Jonathan Karn · Cleveland, Ohio
Research Focus
Dr. Jonathan Karn's lab at Case Western Reserve University focuses on understanding how HIV persists in the body, particularly in the brain, and how different factors, such as RNA modifications and substance use, influence this process. The lab works to develop new methods for studying HIV latency and reactivation using advanced techniques such as next-generation sequencing and induced pluripotent stem cells. By deciphering the complex interactions between HIV and the brain, the lab aims to contribute to better treatments for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders.
HIV latencym6A modificationneuroinflammationpoly-substance useepigeneticsstem cell modelsCNSHIV reactivationmicrogliaastrocytes
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the role of m6A RNA modification in HIV latency and reactivation.
AIM 02Examine how poly-substance use affects the interactions between microglia, astrocytes, and neurons related to HIV persistence.
AIM 03Develop sensitive assays for measuring HIV RNA modifications in patient samples.
AIM 04Explore nuclear receptor regulation of epigenetic mechanisms in the CNS associated with HIV latency.
AIM 05Identify therapeutic strategies to reverse HIV latency in the context of neuroinflammatory conditions.
Skills the Lab Values
Next-generation sequencingsingle-cell RNA sequencingCRISPR gene editingRNA immunoprecipitationcell culturemRNA FISHbioinformaticsinduced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) techniquesimmunofluorescencelive-cell imaging
Output against the department
Publications205top 40% of dept.159th of 402
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations16ktop 29% of dept.116th of 402
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.