Office Location:

Room A506 PUH

Office Telephone: (412) 647-0765
Office Fax: (412) 647-5602
Email: claytonwiley@comcast.net OR
wileyca@upmc.edu

Research Interests:

Dr. Wiley's research concentrates on the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and in particular on viral induced nervous system diseases. Viruses damage the nervous system either by direct infection of neural cells or by secondary effects of an immune response. In recent years his studies have focused on central nervous system (CNS) retroviral infections and have pioneered the use of molecular techniques to quantitatively assess viral burden. This same technology is now being applied to quantify synaptic damage and the CNS immune response. A wide variety of techniques including laser confocal microscopy is employed to measure production of cytokines, neurotrophic factors and potential neurotoxins. While investigations are founded in observations made in human tissues, both animal models and in vitro nervous system cultures are used to test hypotheses. Current laboratory focus is placed on the CD8 depletion model of SIV encephalitis.

Trainees in Dr. Wiley's laboratory have the opportunity to learn a wide variety of techniques related to gene expression in the nervous system. Whole organism techniques include; brain harvesting and sampling, and amsll animal perfusion. Histologic techniques include; immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization and ultrastructural analysis. Training on laser confocal and electron microscopes is available. Protein techniques include; antibody purification and tagging. Molecular techniques include; RNA and DNA extraction from tissues, competitive PCR probe construction and quantitation. Lab rotation projects involve quantitation of mRNA and protein expression in human nervous system tissue in vivo or in vitro.

Dr. Wiley served as the Editor of Brain Pathology from 1996 to 2001 and is the Director of the University of Pittsburgh/Carnegie Mellon University MD/PhD Program.

Research Grants:

Alzheimer Disease Research Center (Neuropathology Core: Dr. Clayton Wiley)
Principal Investigator: Dr. Steven DeKosky
Agency: NIH; Type: P50 (AG05133); Project Period: 3/30/85-4/30/05
Annual Direct Funding: $150,000
% of Effort: 5%
The major goals of this project are to integrate, coordinate, support and foster research in Alzheimer Disease (AD) and aging. The three objectives of the Neuropathology Core are: (1) to procure and bank brains from autopsies of ADRC patients and controls; (2) to perform detailed neuropathologic analysis of all AD cases; and (3) to maintain well-catalogued brain bank.

Pathogenesis of Lentiviral Encephalitis, Midcareer Investigator Award
Principal Investigator: Dr. Clayton Wiley
Agency: NIH; Type: K24 (MH01717); Project Period: 7/1/99-6/30/04
Annual Direct Funding: $225,000
% of Effort: 50%
This project is a career-development award meant to free up time from clinical and administrative duties to further research in funded studies.

Medical Scientist Training Program
Principal Investigator: Dr. Clayton Wiley
Agency: NIH; Type: T32 (GM08208); Project Period: 8/1/99-6/30/07
Annual Direct Funding: $400,000
% of Effort: 0%
This project supports a well-integrated basic and clinical sciences predoctoral training program. The training program links 17 programs in six graduate schools within the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University.

Monocytes in HIV Encephalitis
Principal Investigator: Dr. Clayton Wiley
Agency: NIH; Type R01 (MH64921); Project Period:9/1/02-8/30/05
Annual Direct Funding: $250,000
% of Effort: 15%
The goal of this project is to assess the sensitivity and specificity of PET in defining HIV encephalitis in a cross section of HIV infected individuals.

Selected Publications:

Wiley CA, Achim CL, Hammond R, Love S, Masliah E, Radhakrishnan L, Sanders V, Wang G. Damage and repair of DNA in HIV encephalitis. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2000;59(11):955-965

Jordan-Sciutto KL, Fenner Murray BA, Wiley CA, Achim CL. Response of cell cycle proteins to neurotrophic factor and chemokine stimulation in human neuroglia. Exp Neurol 2001;167:205-214

Jordan-Sciutto KL, Wang G, Murphey-Corb M, Wiley CA. Cell cycle proteins exhibit altered expression patterns in lentiviral-associated encephalitis. J Neuroscience 2002;22(6):2185-2195

Harrold SM, Wang G, McMahon DK, Riddler SA, Mellors JW, Becker JT, Caldararo R, Reinhard TA, Achim CL, Wiley CA. Recovery of replication-competent HIV type 1-infected circulating monocytes from individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy. AIDS Res Human Retroviruses 2002;18(6):

Bissel SJ, Wang G, Ghosh M, Reinhard TA, Capuanno S, Cole KS, Murphey-Corb M, Piatak M Jr, Lifson JD, Wiley CA. Macrophages relate presynaptic and postsynaptic damage in Simian immunodeficiency virus encephalitis. Am J Pathol 2002;160(3):927-941.