Thomas J. Hope

Thomas J. Hope is a Professor in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, where he leads a research laboratory focused on HIV pathogenesis using advanced cell biological techniques. His work bridges virology, immunology, and imaging sciences to address critical questions in viral transmission and persistence.

Dr. Hope's research centers on HIV dynamics at the cellular level, with pioneering contributions in live cell microscopy revealing HIV movement along microtubules, dendritic cell-mediated enhancement of infectivity via the 'infectious synapse', and cytoplasmic interactions between HIV and TRIM5 alpha during restriction. Current work investigates HIV interactions with epithelial barriers in sexual transmission, nuclear import pathways, and mucosal immunology in the female reproductive tract. His lab specializes in deconvolution microscopy and non-human primate models to visualize viral dynamics in real time.

Analysis of his 2024-2025 publications shows concentrated efforts on HIV/SIV reservoir characterization, particularly the role of tertiary lymphoid organs in reservoir persistence and stress response activation. Key themes include mucosal barrier dynamics (vaginal microbiome, cervicovaginal mucus, epithelial transcytosis), advanced imaging applications (PET/CT for reservoir tracking, live imaging of viral spread), and cure strategies involving TGF-β blockade for latency reversal. His work increasingly integrates multi-scale imaging with transcriptional profiling to define reservoir microenvironments.

Dr. Hope maintains an active laboratory utilizing rhesus macaque models, human tissue explants, and cutting-edge microscopy. His team collaborates extensively on HIV prevention studies including PrEP acceptability research, mucosal antibody distribution, and viral entry mechanisms. Current projects focus on translating basic findings into reservoir monitoring tools and cure interventions targeting tissue-specific viral persistence.