GoingToMeet

Most recent research efforts on the prevention of HIV and AIDS has focused on T cell-based vaccines but it is admitted this approach will not prevent HIV and needs to be strengthened by novel approaches to generate HIV neutralizing antibodies. The recent successes or failures of alternative methods of HIV prevention (e.g., microbicides, circumcision), or of AIDS prevention (therapeutic vaccines) should help better understand how HIV vaccines can be used, and require sharing basic understanding and results with the prophylactic vaccine field. However the recent negative results of a major HIV vaccine trial have substantially disorganized the field and limit preparation of a definitive program a year and a half in advance. The goals of the meeting are therefore to focus on the most recent key advances in the understanding of (1) how HIV can be controlled at entry and after infection in 3 joint sessions with the concurrent “HIV Immunobiology” meeting, (2) how T cell-based or antibody-based HIV vaccines can be improved, and (3) what are the results of the current vaccine trials and those of alternative methods of HIV or AIDS prevention and how can they help at re-orientating vaccine researches. Two workshops will provide key information on the definition of immune correlates of protection and their analysis in clinical trials.