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 2008, HHMI Investigators Bruce Walker and William R. Jacobs, Jr. made an unusual ask to the HHMI Board of Trustees: funding for a facility to revolutionize AIDS treatment in an area where the virus still raged, Durban, South Africa. A new way of thinking challenges standard notions about what a herpes vaccine should look like.