Introduction to Basic Science of HIV/AIDS

BREAKDOWN OF HIV RESEARCH

• BASIC SCIENCE• Seeks the fundamental understanding of the

biological, chemical, and physical nature of HIV.

• CLINICAL SCIENCE• Seeks the understanding of the prevention,

treatment, and/or the diagnosis of HIV infection in humans.

• SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE• Seeks the systematic analysis and

investigation of human behavior in the context of HIV.

Relationship of the sciences

Basic Science

Clinical Science

Social/Behavioral

Science

Translational Science

Don’t’ be afraid to ask questions or have us slow down

Scientists are people too…

A lot of things seem obvious…

OUTLINE OF BASIC SCIENCE

Module 1.1 Natural History of HIVData Interpretation and BiostatisticsHIV Structure, Lifecycle, and ReplicationOverview of the Human Immune SystemOrigins of HIVImmune Responses to HIVPathogenesis of HIV Disease and Markers

of ProgressionImmune Reconstitution

 Module 1.2 HIV Basic Science

Introduction to Basic SciencesModel Systems to Study HIVMajor Basic Science Discoveries in HIVCurrent HIV Basic Science Research TopicsHIV CureTranslation Science – Bench to Bedside to

CommunityFuture Directions in HIV Basic Science

Research

History of HIV from the Basic Science Perspective

• 1940’s: Evidence of the first infections of humans with HIV (discovered in the 00’s)

• 1981: First clinical report of AIDS (UCLA)

• 1983: Discovery of HIV

• 1985: AZT, first antiretroviral drug

• 1996: Effective combination therapy (HAART)

• 2009: First reported “cure” of HIV infection

History of HIV from the Basic Science Perspective

(Contributions of Basic Science)

•1940’s: Evidence of the first infections of humans with HIV•Identification and analysis of virus in frozen blood samples

•1981:First Clinical report of AIDS (UCLA)•Identified CD4 T cell loss

•1983: Discovery of HIV•HIV was grown in the lab from a patient’s blood

•1985: AZT first antiretroviral drug•Addition of AZT to virus stopped its growth in the lab

•1996: Effective combination therapy (HAART)•Development of new classes of drugs were due to greater understanding of the viruses structure and replication

•2009: First reported “cure” of HIV infection•Identification of people who were not susceptible to infection due to lack of expression of an HIV receptor

What to look Out for:Basic Science

• Understanding of how the virus replicates

• Understanding of how antiretroviral drugs work

• Understanding of the human immune system and how it is important in HIV infection

• Understanding of how HIV causes disease

• Understanding of how passionate HIV researchers are in finding a cure and what these approaches may be.

What basic scientists do needs to be conveyed to find a cure for HIV disease

Understanding basic science aspects of HIV infection helps to communicate new researchfindings, better treatment options, and hope to your constituencies.