优先资助方向说明(英文).docx

附件1: 优先资助方向说明(英文) Scope of the Research Supported under this FOA Although highly active an tiretroviral therapy (HAART) effectively suppresses HIV viral replication below the limit of detection in most infected individuals, a reservoir of in fected cells persists. It is now clear that these regime ns alone are in sufficie nt to cure HIV-positive individuals of their infection. While the effects of Iong-term HAART and the prese nee of persiste nt virus n ecessitate an alter native treatme nt strategy, many critical questions about the origin of rebound virus and the details of how viral reservoirs are established and mai ntai ned rema in unan swered. This FOA will support studies in research toward a cure for HIV/AIDS including but not limited to the follow ing areas: ? In vestigati on of the mecha ni sms of establishme nt and maintenance of HIV-1 latency at the cellular, tissue and organismal level Ide ntificati on of viral reservoirs that cause rebo unding of viral levels whe n an tiretroviral therapy is stopped ? Design of novel virologic-, immunologic-, and cellular-based therapies for immune containment or eradicati on of HIV reservoirs Development of sensitive and quantitative assays, methods, or imaging techniques, that can be applied to the measurement of residual HIV reservoirs in HIV-positive in dividuals on effective an tiretroviral therapy Identification of means to specifically re-activate HIV gene expression in late ntly in fected cells in vivo without affect ing unin fected bysta nder cells ? Studies of HIV reservoirs and persistence in individuals, including infants, childre n, and adolesce nts treated very early after infection. Studies with a focus on central nervous system HIV reservoirs such as macrophages, microglial cells, and astrocytes with and without substance abuse. Studies to help understand the impact on HIV reservoirs of anticancer treatme nts in patie nts with both HIV and can cer. Studies on how approaches such as bone marrow tran spl