Interferon and MX2-mediated control of HIV-1

Human cells are laden with genes and proteins that have evolved to inhibit viral infections. Many of these are rapidly mobilised in direct response to viral exposure and can collectively be called the mediators of innate immunity. The effectiveness of these fast-acting innate factors and mechanisms, together with later-developing adaptive immune responses, as well as the capacity of a virus to evade or counteract immunity, determines the outcome of infection in terms of health or disease, resolution or persistence. Professor Malim's research team will seek to discover innate immune mechanisms and pathways that can control infection by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and to define and understand the molecular underpinnings of viral suppression and evasion. This information can be leveraged in the future to develop or improve antiretroviral therapies, HIV vaccination strategies, and, potentially, approaches for HIV cure.