Recent HIV/AIDS News from NIAID

October 31, 2013: NIH-Funded Scientists Reveal Structure of HIV Protein Key to Cell Entry “Using protein engineering and two different cutting-edge structural biology imaging techniques, researchers have developed a detailed picture of the protein largely responsible for enabling HIV to enter human immune cells and cause infection. An in-depth understanding of the atomic structure of the HIV envelope trimer—or Env, the three-component protein found on HIV’s surface—is critical to better understanding how HIV gains entry into cells and for creating potential HIV vaccines.” Read the NIAID press release.   October 30, 2013: HIV Antibody Infusions Show Promise for Treating SHIV-Infected Monkeys “Two teams are reporting results from experiments in which they infused powerful anti-HIV antibodies into monkeys infected with an HIV-like virus, rapidly reducing the amount of virus, or viral load, to undetectable levels, where it remained for extended periods.” Read the NIAID press release.