Identifying New Treatment Targets—The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease has awarded Felipe Diaz-Griffero, Ph.D. $2.7 million over five years, to study the molecular mechanisms that govern HIV-1 viral capsid “uncoating”—a key step allowing HIV-1 (the virus that causes AIDS) to infect cells. Dr. Diaz-Griffero has identified the capsid as a novel target to prevent HIV-1 infection and has shown that both stabilizing and destabilizing the capsid can strongly inhibit HIV-1 infection. His future investigations in this area may yield novel treatments for HIV-1/AIDS. Dr. Diaz-Griffero is associate professor of microbiology & immunology and the Elsie Wachtel Faculty Scholar.
Posted on: Wednesday, October 07, 2015