As I understand it they want to create a vaccine that targets a certain protein that is created in all infected HIV/AID cells. Making any mutation of the virus a moot factor.
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In taking immune cells from an HIV-infected person, Ostrowski’s team discovered a killer cell that could detect these HERV proteins. This is key, because the HERV proteins can't mutate like HIV does. So for the Gates grant, Ostrowski proposed creating a vaccine that would force the immune system to target these HERV proteins and attack those HIV-infected cells, in the hopes of getting rid of the HIV reservoir.
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It's such a scary virus to because due to rapid mutation a person could easily end up with multiple stands of HIV. It's not like you get infected once and thats it. An HIV positive person is still able to get other stands of HIV. In fact the more stands of HIV you end up with the less effective Magic Johnson drugs are.
Anyway they know they have ways to detect HIV and kill it. What they're having problems with is finding a way thats safe to the host.