Objectif Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) remains a significant cause of comorbidity and mortality around the world. One of HIV-1 persistence and immune evasion mechanisms is the ability to create hidden virus reservoirs in cells. These virus reservoirs, termed Virus-Containing Compartments (VCCs) are inaccessible to the immune system and help to spread the infection to different parts of the body. VCCs are unaffected by current HIV-1 therapies, and thus remain a major obstacle in the development of successful HIV-1 cure strategies. This project will take a novel approach to the interference with this mechanism of HIV-1 persistence by characterising and exploiting unique molecular dynamics inside VCCs in dendritic cells. Cutting edge super-resolution microscopy techniques enable the study of single molecule behaviour and have already been employed to investigate the minute details of virus-cell interactions during HIV-1 assembly, entry and cell-to-cell spread. These interactions were shown to depend on a specific arrangement and mobility of virus and cell molecules suggesting that efficient virus sequestration and release from VCCs may also require a specific distribution and dynamics of interacting lipids and proteins. Specifically, the “HIV VCC Interference” project aims to: 1) characterise the distribution and dynamics of lipids and proteins in VCCs as a whole and at the sites of virus-cell interactions using super-resolution microscopy; 2) assess the unique characteristics of these sites as targets for interference with HIV-1 persistence and to explore the potential of these targets by testing drugs that perturb specific aspects of cell membranes. These studies, which are aligned with objectives of MSCA-IF, will lead to the description of novel single molecule details of VCC environments and the characterisation of a new type of HIV-1 therapy that targets virus persistence by interfering with unique membrane properties of virus reservoirs. Champ scientifique natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyvirologynatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsmicroscopysuper resolution microscopymedical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculeslipidsmedical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesRNA virusesHIV Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Thème(s) MSCA-IF-2017 - Individual Fellowships Appel à propositions H2020-MSCA-IF-2017 Voir d’autres projets de cet appel Régime de financement MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinateur FUNDACIO PRIVADA INSTITUT DE RECERCA DE LA SIDA-CAIXA Contribution nette de l'UE € 158 121,60 Adresse CARRETERA DE CANYET 08916 Barcelona Espagne Voir sur la carte Région Este Cataluña Barcelona Type d’activité Research Organisations Liens Contacter l’organisation Opens in new window Site web Opens in new window Participation aux programmes de R&I de l'UE Opens in new window Réseau de collaboration HORIZON Opens in new window Coût total € 158 121,60