Elite Controllers

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Investigator: Steven Deeks, MD
Sponsor: Until There's a Cure Foundation

Location(s): United States

Description

Studying his cohort of elite controllers, in collaboration with others, Deeks has looked at genetic and functional characteristics of the T-lymphocyte response to HIV infection. They chose to focus on this arm of the immune system first, as it is well known that the so-called “adaptive” T cell immune response is the primary mechanism that humans use to prevent or control chronic infections. Although many elite controllers had clear evidence of potent HIV-specific T cell immunity, a surprising number failed to exhibit such a response.