Virology & Mycology
Open Access

Attacking HIV-1 reservoirs with viral mutagens

International Conference on Retroviruses & Novel Drugs

June 08-09, 2015 Chicago, USA

Luise Mansky

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Virol-mycol

Abstract :

Multiple therapeutic approaches are being investigated towards eradicating viral reservoirs towards a cure to HIV-1 infection. Our current studies have been directed towards the discovery of viral mutagens that can eliminate the infectivity of reactivated virus through elevation of mutational load. We have found that 5-azacytidine and the combination of decitabine and gemcitabine work as potent viral mutagens and progressed in the preclinical evaluation of these antiretroviral strategies. We have discovered new antiretrovirals that also have potential for such therapeutic applications, which will be discussed.

Biography :

LuiseMansky is Professor and Director of the Institute for Molecular Virology, University of Minnesota. He received his PhD degree in Molecular Virology from Iowa State University and was a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Howard Temin at the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin- Madison.