(Update) HIV Conference to Be Held on February 25 at NCI at Frederick

By Anne Arthur, Guest Writer
HIV DRP logo

By Anne Arthur, Guest Writer

The HIV Drug Resistance Program (HIV DRP), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), will hold a conference on “Host Factors and Cofactors in HIV Infection” at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) campus in Frederick, Md., on Feb. 25, from 1:00 to 5:35 p.m.

The HIV DRP is sponsoring this conference with support from the CCR Center of Excellence in HIV/AIDS & Cancer Virology and the NCI Office of HIV and AIDS Malignancy to showcase the latest findings on host factors and cofactors in HIV infection. Understanding the interplay of HIV with both positively and negatively restricting cellular proteins, as well as the influence of cofactors in the etiology of HIV infection, will lead to new insights into the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of HIV disease.

In addition to research presentations by the invited speakers, the conference will include a roundtable discussion addressing future developments and opportunities for antiviral strategies and insights into the novel mechanisms of carcinogenesis. Vinay Pathak (HIV DRP) will serve as the moderator of this discussion. 

Agenda

1:00–1:10p.m. Stephen Hughes, Ph.D., Director, HIV DRP
Welcoming remarks
1:10–1:50p.m. John Guatelli, M.D., University of California San Diego and the VA San Diego Healthcare System
HIV-1 accessory proteins Nef and Vpu
1:50–2:30p.m. Michael Emerman, Ph.D., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Host adaptations underlie the ancient origins of HIV-1
2:30–3:10p.m. Welkin Johnson, Ph.D., Boston College
Host factors as genetic barriers to interspecies transmission and emergence of primate retroviruses
3:10–3:40p.m. Break
3:40–4:20p.m. Jacek Skowronski, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University
Restriction factors targeted by Vpx and Vpr
4:20–5:00p.m. Yong Xiong, Ph.D., Yale University
HIV suppression by host restriction factors and viral immune evasion
5:00–5:30p.m. Invited Speakers and Moderator (Vinay Pathak, Ph.D., HIV DRP)
Panel review and discussion
5:30–5:35p.m. Stephen Hughes, Ph.D.
Closing remarks

Anne Arthur is the technical laboratory manager, HIV Drug Resistance Program.Additional information about the conference is available at http://ncifrederick.cancer.gov/Events/hivdrug.