2026

What is the title of your project, and what is its primary focus?

The title of my project is “Discovery of novel HIV-human protein-protein interactions using large-scale AlphaFold screening”. The primary focus is to leverage AlphaFold’s PPI prediction capabilities as a discovery tool, identifying the structural basis for known HIV-human interactions and discovering novel ones. 

How does your project align with the Center’s objectives?

The center’s primary objective is to build a more complete structural picture of the protein-protein interactions underpinning the HIV life cycle. AlphaFold has recently emerged as a groundbreaking tool for the prediction of protein structures and interactions, including, recently, host-pathogen interactions. A systematic, all-by-all screen for protein interactions lets us discover novel HIV biology and develop the host-pathogen AlphaFold toolkit. 

What is the most inspiring aspect of your research?

That HIV, considered a terminal illness just thirty years ago, is now largely manageable with antiretroviral therapy, is a testament to what biomedical research can achieve. I hope that the work we do here can contribute to understanding HIV better, eliminating the latent viral reservoir, and building cures that endure into the future. 

What are your thoughts on the importance of advancing our understanding of HIV–host protein complexes and expanding therapeutic targets and treatment strategies for HIV/AIDS?

Developing new treatments for HIV would not be possible without a mechanistic understanding of what happens when the virus infects our cells. To continue managing the global health burden of HIV, we must understand how viral proteins interact with human proteins and what the significance of each interaction is for the viral life cycle. The research done at the HARC center directly contributes towards this goal.