Experts: AIDS 2018 conference (July 23-27)

"The International AIDS Conference is the largest conference on any global health issue in the world. First convened during the peak of the AIDS epidemic in 1985, it continues to provide a unique forum for the intersection of science, advocacy, and human rights. Each conference is an opportunity to strengthen policies and programmes that ensure an evidence-based response to the epidemic. The 22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018) will be hosted in Amsterdam, Netherlands 23-27 July 2018." (AIDS 2018)

Jean-Pierre Routy, Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University

Dr. Routy is a Senior Scientist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC). His research focuses on HIV pathogenesis aiming at finding an HIV cure. Improving knowledge in immune tolerance in cancer and in immune privileged sites (central nervous system, testis) will be key to develop strategy to conquer cancers and auto-immune diseases.

He's in Amsterdam right now and can be reached directly.

jean-pierre.routy [at] mcgill.ca (English, French)

Anne Gatignol, Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University

"HIV infection can be treated but can not be cured. As soon as patients stop treatment, the virus reappears. Several strategies are being developed to achieve a cure, either by killing virus reservoir cells, by blocking the virus in a dormant state, or by continuously expressing antiviral molecules in blood stem cells."

Dr. Gatignol is a senior Investigator, Head of "Virus-Cell Interactions" Laboratory in the HIV/AIDS Research Axis at the Lady Davis Institute. She can discuss fundamental research and the search for an HIV cure.

anne.gatignol [at] mcgill.ca (English, French)