Global health R&D at work in Colorado
University of Colorado School of Medicine researchers discovered that a process that protects the body from autoimmune disease also blocks the production of antibodies against HIV-1, the most common cause of AIDS. The immune system normally suppresses these antibodies to keep them from targeting healthy tissues; the question now is whether there are ways to temporarily halt this mechanism, allowing one’s body to generate antibodies capable of neutralizing HIV-1 without harm to patients. The findings could help scientists develop a vaccine.