A study on almost four thousand people of African descent has identified a gene that acts as natural defense against HIV by limiting its replication in certain white blood cells. An international effort co-led by EPFL, Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory, and Imperial College London, it paves the way for new treatment strategies and underscores the importance of studying diverse ancestral populations to better address their specific medical needs and global health disparities.
The patient from Dusseldorf was confirmed to have been cured of HIV after being given a stem cell transplant, but this procedure is risky and is not a universal cure.