Robert Siliciano is interested in devising strategies for eradicating the latent reservoir of HIV-1 in infected patients and developing improved therapies for HIV-1 infection. Siliciano and his team use experimental and computational approaches in their work, which ranges from evaluating drugs that target the latent reservoir and developing assays to monitor the elimination of this reservoir during clinical trials, to uncovering the pharmacodynamic principles underlying antiretroviral drugs and how to prevent drug resistance. They are also studying the immunology of HIV-1 infection, particularly the ability of some patients to control the infection without antiretroviral therapy.Robert Siliciano is interested in devising strategies for eradicating the latent reservoir of HIV-1 in infected patients and developing improved therapies for HIV-1 infection. Siliciano and his team use experimental and computational approaches in their work, which ranges from evaluating drugs that target the latent reservoir and developing assays to monitor the elimination of this reservoir during clinical trials, to uncovering the pharmacodynamic principles underlying antiretroviral drugs and how to prevent drug resistance. They are also studying the immunology of HIV-1 infection, particularly the ability of some patients to control the infection without antiretroviral therapy.
HHMI-supported scientists have spent decades at the forefront of HIV and AIDS research. From the early days of the AIDS epidemic to the latest advancements in research, these profiles showcase the dedication and innovation of researchers who have shaped the field. In the mid-1980s, HHMI Investigator Robert F. Siliciano began studying a relatively new pathogen as a postdoc. When he began his own lab, he focused exclusively on the virus: HIV. Until now, researchers haven’t been able to accurately quantify a latent form of HIV that persists in patients’ immune cells. A new genetic technique is fast and 10 to 100 times more accurate than previous diagnostics. Four HHMI investigators have been elected to membership in the National Academy of Medicine, an organization that honors professional achievement in the health sciences. Thirteen HHMI scientists have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences.  HHMI researchers have discovered that the pool of inactive HIV viruses that lingers silently in a patient’s body is larger than expected. The viruses continue to be a threat because they retain the ability to become active even after treatment with the best HIV drugs. Brief summaries of the research carried out by the 12 patient-oriented researchers selected by HHMI in 2002