Remembering the 2025 AVAC AIDS Conference
About this time last year, I attended my first AVAC AIDS conference in Philadelphia. (I came across a LinkedIn post and decided to take a chance and apply. And I was selected. Who knew?)
I had an extraordinary time attending the AVAC conference, and learned a lot about the various attempts to end the HIV epidemic–including functional cures and therapeutic vaccines. I found it quite fascinating to learn about the various cure research directions or paths, including:
- Broadly Naturalizing Antibodies (bNAbs)
- Gene Editing
- Natural Killer (NK) cells
- Two (2) strategies to deplete the (dormant) virus Reservoir:
- Shock & Kill (a.k.a. Kick & Kill)
- Block & Lock
- Therapeutic Vaccines
Also, the visit to The Wistar Institute was a uniquely amazing experience, one that I will always remember.
I seldom have the chance to attend or report from such events. In 2022, I thought that I could go to that year’s International AIDS Conference in Montreal, but in the end, it wasn’t to be. Too many unkept promises, unfortunately.
I could only dream of having a chance to report from or attend the annual CROI conference or the International AIDS Conference (the International AIDS Conference 2026 will take place in Brazil this summer). Yet, chances are slim. At least for now….
That said, let’s hope that, one day, things will change for the better. Most importantly, let’s hope that one day we will be able to truly and forever end the HIV epidemic.
For that to happen, let’s hope for the possibility of ongoing research and future opportunities to advance our knowledge and understanding of HIV and AIDS, and all its facets–medical, non-medical, and most importantly, the human facet of this pandemic.
And yes, let’s hope that there will come a day when we’ll be able to talk about HIV and AIDS as part of the past, not the present, as a pandemic that was, but there is no more.
ART Spell 
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