Grant: CIHR Café Scientifique Program - Institute of Infection and Immunity

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) can reduce HIV replication to undetectable levels in the blood, decrease the risk of transmission, and transform a deadly pandemic into a manageable chronic disease for those with access. Despite these advances, HIV infection remains a global health problem. The major barrier to HIV-1 cure is the persistence of viral reservoirs (VR) in long-lived immune cells, therefore requiring life-long daily treatment in people living with HIV (PLWH). Residual HIV transcription occurs in VR during ART and represents a major cause of non-HIV co-morbidities. Multiple biological functions, including immune responses, are under the control of clocks present in all tissues that align the physiology of the body to day/night changes in the environment. Recent studies have shown that HIV transcription is also regulated by such molecular clocks, but the time of the day when this process peaks remains uncertain. Finding the perfect time to hunt for HIV is key for designing efficient HIV cure strategies. In a previous CIHR-funded research proposal (2017-2022), we explored the daily variations in immune function and HIV transcription in a cohort of eleven ART-treated PLWH. Our results demonstrated that peripheral blood cells are predominant in number during the evening/night, with a peak in HIV transcription at 4am. The objective of this Café Scientifique is to host a community Knowledge Transfer and Exchange event to share the results of this study (Dr Ancuta). We will also include three topics of interest for the community of PLWH, as follows: 1) Current HIV cure strategies (Dr JP Routy), 2) Circadian rhythms in immunity and infections (Dr Cermakian), and 3) Gut microbiota in immunity and cancer (Dr B Routy). These presentations will inform the community of PLWH on the state of cure research in the field of HIV/AIDS. The Knowledge Users, Mrs Margolese, Mr Rosenes, and Dr Hedrich, will moderate the sessions and will facilitate the communication in lay language.