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Eric Martin

As those who study it know all too well, HIV is a nasty virus that is very adaptable – so adaptable it can mutate differently in every individual to overcome his or her own unique immune system. That makes vaccine development difficult, to say the least.

And that is what attracted Eric Martin to study in the lab of Zabrina Brumme and Mark Brockman at Simon Fraser University (SFU). There, he has access to clinical and research data from more than 2,500 people with HIV and more than 25,000 HIV genotypes, all reflecting different virus mutations.

Eric, who holds the CAHR/Abbott Virology Master’s Scholarship, is using bioinformatics techniques to understand more about, and to try to develop rules for, how HIV mutates in response to each individual’s immune system. He is focusing his research on how the virus escapes recognition by killer T-cells that are the body’s normal way of fighting infection.

He has designed and deployed a database to store and analyze patient data that allows him to quickly examine host and viral factors that may contribute to this process. But computational techniques, he recognizes, can only go so far in the absence of biological understanding. That’s where his experimental work comes in – to develop new techniques to assess the function of virus-specific T-cell receptors.

This combination of computer and lab work is a unique feature of Eric’s research that makes it extremely valuable, say his supervisors.

“Eric possesses tremendous curiosity and enthusiasm for scientific discovery. He is also a highly creative thinker who brings fresh perspective to every question. These characteristics, combined with his unique skills that span two disciplines, have been key to his, and our, success thus far” notes Brumme.

“Eric’s work has helped to bridge gaps in our understanding of HIV evolution and his results will allow us to better define the types of T-cell responses that we should aim to generate through vaccination”, adds Brockman

Martin’s ultimate goal is to create knowledge that will help to develop a vaccine that can provide immunity against HIV both in its “normal” and its adapted forms.

“It’s important to know how the virus is evading the immune system,” Martin says. “It’s also useful to know where an HIV vaccine should initiate an immune response, and where it could actually be harmful.”

Holding the CAHR/Abbott Virology scholarship, Eric says, has made a huge difference in his studies. It has allowed him to devote his time fully to research and allowed him to work on additional projects with collaborators from Harvard University and Microsoft Research. Based on his accomplishments to date, CAHR extended his scholarship for an additional year to permit him to finish his degree. After that, he is not sure where he will go – but he remains committed to research in HIV/AIDS.

“I believe very strongly in the importance of studying the immunology and virology of HIV for the purpose of working towards a vaccine,” he says.

Our Mission

  • Promote excellence in HIV research
  • Foster collaboration and cooperation among HIV research communities, including basic science, clinical science, epidemiology & public health and social science
  • Promote education and the development of new researchers
  • Provide a unified voice for Canadian HIV researchers and engage diverse stakeholders (community, industry, Government, NGO’s etc.) in ongoing dialogue and knowledge exchange to ensure that HIV research remains responsive to their needs
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CAHR 2023
April 27 to 30, 2023

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Recent News

  • When you’re registering for the e @AMMICana - CACMID annual conference on infectious diseases and diagnostic microbiology (March 28-31, 2023 in Toronto), remember that CAHR members receive a $35 discount on the full non-member conference registration! ammi.ca/en/annual-conf…
  • Last day to apply for the CAHR-@CANFAR Excellence in Research Awards! cahr-acrv.ca/awards/excelle… Dernier jour pour postuler aux Bourses d'excellence en recherche CAHR-@CANFAR! cahr-acrv.ca/fr/prix/prix-d… https://t.co/szhBdhZuRZ
  • Remember to apply for the CAHR-RV-@CAN Excellence in Research Awards by January 26th! cahr-acrv.ca/awards/excelle… Après le 26 janvier nous n’acceptons plus de candidatures aux Prix d'excellence en recherche ACRV-RV-@CAN! cahr-acrv.ca/fr/prix/prix-d… https://t.co/bhgkCEDBmD
  • Reminder: Apply Now – A workshop on “Jumpstarting your Participatory Social-Behavioural Health Intervention” cahr-acrv.ca/wp-content/upl… UmnUV @CBRC weets @CAT EInfo @Giving_
  • Rappel : Postulez maintenant - Un atelier sur « Lancez votre intervention participative en santé sociocomportementale ». cahr-acrv.ca/wp-content/upl… ZS @CBRCtwe ts @CATIEI fo @Giving_It_
  • Se souvenir de Chris Bunting
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About CAHR

With a membership of more than 1,000 researchers and others interested in HIV research, the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR) is the leading organization of HIV/AIDS researchers in Canada. CAHR is the organizing body for the Annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research (CAHR Conference).

CAHR encourages Canadian researchers to be leaders in knowledge translation and to effectively respond both to the Canadian and global HIV/AIDS epidemics. Since its founding in 1991, CAHR has promoted excellence in HIV research, including mentorship and career development of investigators entering the field.

CAHR fosters collaboration and co-operation among HIV research communities, including basic, clinical and social sciences, epidemiology and public health. CAHR also engages people living with HIV/AIDS and AIDS service organizations in ongoing dialogue and information exchange to ensure that HIV/AIDS research remains responsive to the epidemic and its stakeholders.

CAHR is a registered charity.

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