HIV Vaccine Development

Dr John Frater talks about his research into finding a cure for HIV. It is increasingly apparent that highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) may not be the long-term solution to the management of HIV infection, and that other avenues need to be explored. As a result of various recent cases, the idea of eradicating HIV altogether is becoming less unimaginable to some scientists. Dr John Frater's work focuses on quantification of viral reservoirs, sequence analysis, immunology, as well as fundamental research into new approaches for the eradication of HIV.

Professor Tomas Hanke tells us about his research on HIV vaccine development. The enormous variations in HIV present big challenges in the development of a vaccine. Professor Tomáš Hanke focuses on the most conserved regions of the HIV-1 proteome, with the aim of developing a vaccine for both adult and mother-to-child transmission. Professor Hanke's group tests novel ideas and vaccine strategies, and focusses on a safe but rapid translation of the most promising laboratory results to phase I/II clinical trials in human volunteers. The ultimate goal is to develop a safe, effective and accessible HIV vaccine.

Professor Sarah Rowland-Jones tells us about her work on HIV with children in Africa. HIV behaves very differently in children: while most adults are able to control the virus after infection, children often struggle to do so, resulting in an extremely high mortality rate. Professor Sarah Rowland-Jones aims to contribute to the design of vaccines and immunotherapies against HIV infection, including HIV-2 infection, for both adults and children, in developing countries where an effective vaccine is desperately needed. Her work mainly focuses on anti-viral immunity, and in particular how immune responses modify the outcome of HIV infection.

Dr Lucy Dorrell tells us how our immune system controls HIV and how we can live with this virus. There are currently around 91,000 people in the UK living with HIV/AIDS. HIV is a challenging target for a vaccine because it can mutate its genetic makeup. Dr Lucy Dorrell aims to develop immunotherapy to reduce dependence on antiretroviral therapy (ART), the current standard treatment for those infected with HIV-1. Worldwide, 9 million of the estimated 33 million people living with HIV/AIDS today are not able to access the ARTs which they are in immediate need of.

Dr Seph Borrow tells us how her research on HIV Immunology helps design better vaccines. There is an urgent need for vaccines to combat persistent infections like HIV. The earliest interactions between HIV and host immune responses determine the course of the disease. Dr Seph Borrow is studying factors affecting virus control by HIV-specific CD8+ T cells, to inform the design of T cell-based HIV vaccines. Dr Borrow is also exploring the possibility of harnessing innate immune responses to combat HIV.

Professor Sir Andrew McMichael tells us about recent developments in the search for a vaccine against HIV. As HIV infection continues to spread, particularly in developing countries there is an urgent need for a vaccine. After investigating the immune response to flu virus, Professor Sir Andrew McMichael turned his attention to HIV. Professor McMichael's current lines of research include analysing early molecular events in HIV infection, T cell immune response to HIV and the use of vaccination to control HIV infection.