Global health R&D at work in Nebraska
University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) researchers are advancing a dual gene-editing approach that holds promise to eliminate HIV infection. Using the gene-editing tool CRISPR, scientists developed a therapy that targets both HIV-1, the most common virus that causes AIDS, and a protein on the surface of white blood cells called CCR5, which acts as a receptor allowing the virus to enter cells. By combining this gene therapy with another technology developed at UNMC called LASER ART (long-acting slow effective release antiviral therapy)—a type of injectable drug with an altered chemical structure that enables its slow release and thus better ability to reach body tissue where HIV can hide—the research team was able to eliminate HIV in animal studies. While still in the early stages, this research could one day lead to a cure for AIDS. Globally, more than 38 million people are living with HIV.