Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1

A major focus in the Mahmoudi lab is understanding the molecular mechanisms that control HIV transcription and latency across virus and host diversity. We aim to utilize this knowledge to develop strategies that focus on the stimulation of the virus to emerge out of latency coupled with the induction of death in the infected reactivated cell (shock and kill-approach) or the intentional induction of latency to prevent transcription completely. In addition, the Mahmoudi lab contributes to multiple clinical trials for drugs modulating HIV-1 transcription.

Developing and adapting HIV-1 reservoir quantitation and characterization assays across subtypes, enabling inclusive HIV-1 research.

Reservoir quantitation and characterization is a crucial step to understanding HIV-1 latency. Due to the low frequency of infected blood cells, the most readily sample type available, highly sensitive and specific assays are needed to quantify these cells. This same limitation applies to the characterization of latency in infected cells, requiring further research and development of tools to characterize the reservoir.

Cost is a major factor in the development of these tools. As the largest populations of people living with HIV-1 reside in low- and middle-income countries, affordable research techniques need to be developed to enable global application of newly developed reservoir quantification tools.

People working on the project

Dr. Robert-Jan Palstra – Senior Scientist

Tonmoy Hossain, MSc – PhD Candidate

Zora Sinay, MSc – PhD Candidate

Modulating HIV-1 expression co- and post-transcriptionally in a latent state

People working on the project

Liset de Vries, MSc – PhD Candidate