Grant: Doctoral Research Award - Priority Announcement - HIV/AIDS and/or STBBI

Despite decades of scientific research, there is no cure for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and its subsequent late-stage infection, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Around the world, there are an estimated 38 million people living with HIV, including over 60,000 Canadians, with more infected each year. Although antiretroviral therapies have been successful in controlling symptoms and extending the life span of those who are HIV-positive, the trade-off is a lifetime of medication, side effects, and social stigma, along with the emerging threat of drug resistance. The major barrier to developing a cure is a population of cells that are infected but are not actively producing more viral particles. These latently infected cells form a stable reservoir that is unaffected by current antiretroviral drugs and cannot be detected and eliminated by the immune system. Upon interruption of treatment, these cells become active and begin replicating the virus, which can lead to symptoms similar to those seen in acute HIV infection. Through an understanding of the mechanisms by which HIV becomes latent, it could be possible to reactivate these latent viruses and expose them to an enhanced immune response capable of eliminating the reservoir, or completely silence these cells to prevent reactivation upon cessation of treatment. If successful, these approaches could result in a cure for HIV/AIDS. My research will focus on YY1, a protein known to be involved in HIV latency, and discovering the role it plays in establishing and maintaining viral latency, including identification of specific interactors that contribute to YY1- mediated latency. This research could reveal new candidates for therapeutic targeting that may be used in combination with current treatments and ultimately lead to a cure for HIV/AIDS.