Breakthrough HIV Study Brings Hope

[datdude]

UAB Research Instructor Brandon Keele said an HIV vaccine is far more likely based on a groundbreaking discovery published Monday.  Dr. Keele said the results of an enormous study found that most cases of HIV can be traced to one virus.

Because there can be billions of viral variations at the molecular level, zeroing in on the one that caused the initial HIV infection represents a significant step forward, according to a University of Alabama at Birmingham spokesperson.

Much of the lab work for the study was conducted iat UAB under Dr. Keele's direction, but there were many medical research centers which worked on the study. Keele said identifying the source of HIV infection brings doctors that much closer to finding a vaccine.  "There are a lot of people who are working on that and obviously that would be the Holy Grail for HIV research. I think we've provided a little insight into what happens during this very early part of infection and hopefully this will be able to direct researchers including ourselves," said Dr. Brandon Keele.

http://www.cbs42.com/news/local/19118619.html