Structural and Molecular Biology of HIV
A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2012) | Viewed by 137024
Special Issue Editor
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Since the discovery of HIV almost 30 years ago, an enormous research effort has been conducted worldwide with the goal of conquering this infectious agent. Although an effective HIV vaccine is not on the horizon, HIV research has partially achieved this goal, as effective anti-HIV drugs have been developed. When used in combination, these drugs can suppress viral replication to almost undetectable levels in many patients. Unfortunately, suppression of HIV replication requires lifelong adherence to the antiviral drugs, as a long-lived reservoir of latent viruses spontaneously reactivate when the drugs are discontinued. A major effort in HIV research is now directed to discovering how this reservoir is established and maintained, with the long term goal of purging the reservoir and thereby curing HIV infection.
Basic research has provided the knowledge that lead to development of the existing anti-HIV drugs. Continued research is required to produce more effective antiviral drugs, devise strategies to purge the viral reservoir, and develop an effective vaccine. This special issue seeks to cover a broad range of HIV research in the areas of HIV molecular biology, host-virus interactions, and structural biology. We welcome scientific perspectives, reviews, and original research papers.
Prof. Dr. Andrew P. Rice
Guest Editor