This application requests support for a Keystone Symposia meeting entitled Frontiers in HIV Pathogenesis, Therapy and Eradication, organized by Alan N. Engelman, Eric O. Freed and John M. Coffin, which will be held in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada from March 26-31, 2012. AIDS is incurable because cells latently infected with HIV resist antiviral therapy. Topical to the discussion of HIV eradication is the biology behind latent infection as well as models for the study of latency and pharmacological approaches to stimulate proviral gene expression. The Keystone Symposia meeting on Frontiers in HIV Pathogenesis, Therapy and Eradication will create an environment for free exchange of ideas and cutting edge results from a range of scientists in academia and industry in the fields of HIV pathogenesis, pharmacology, and eradication. Joint plenary sessions with the concurrent meeting on Cell Biology of Virus Entry, Replication and Pathogenesis will highlight common topics of interest including mechanisms of virus entry and inhibition, and will significantly enhance opportunities for interdisciplinary interactions. Leaders from HIV replication and drug resistance fields will critically examine the state of antiviral therapy, novel inhibitors, and important virus-host interactions. Speakers selected from submitted abstracts will fill-out workshops on pharmacological approaches and the cell biology of HIV infection.
The 2012 Keystone Symposium on Frontiers in HIV Pathogenesis, Therapy and Eradication will address key issues related to the control of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic including potential eradication of persistent viral reservoir(s) from patients. Considering that UNAIDS estimated 1.8 million AIDS-related deaths in 2009, the meeting is both timely and highly significant. Opportunities for interdisciplinary interactions will be significantly enhanced by the concurrent meeting on Cell Biology of Virus Entry, Replication and Pathogenesis, which will share a keynote address and two plenary sessions with this meeting.
