Journal of Immunology Research (Jan 2015)

HIV Vaccine Research: The Challenge and the Way Forward

  • Hai-Bo Wang,
  • Qiu-Hua Mo,
  • Ze Yang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/503978
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2015

Abstract

Read online

Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a worldwide epidemic, with over 35 million people infected currently. Therefore, the development of a safe and effective HIV-1 vaccine is on top of the global health priority. In the past few years, there have been many promising advances in the prevention of HIV/AIDS, among which the RV144 Thai trial has been encouraging and suggests optimization of the current vaccine strategies or search for novel strategies. Here we reviewed the brief history of HIV-1 vaccine, analyzed key challenges existing now, and illustrated future research priority/directions for a therapeutic or prophylactic HIV-1 vaccine, with the hope of accelerating the speed of vaccine development. We believe that an effective HIV-1 vaccine, together with other prevention approaches, will bring an end to this epidemic in the near future.