• Français
  • Search
  • Conference
    • CAHR 2023
    • Future CAHR Conferences
    • Mark Wainberg Lecture
    • Past Conferences
  • Awards
    • HCP Travel Awards Competition
    • Mark Wainberg Fund
    • CAHR-CANFAR Excellence in Research Awards
    • Red Ribbon Award
    • Funding Archive
    • Funding Landscape
  • Training
    • Workshops
    • Webinars
      • HIV and COVID-19: Clinical Considerations for Health Care Professionals in Canada
      • HIV and COVID-19: Clinical Considerations for Health Care Professionals in Canada PART 2
    • Clinical Summaries
    • E-Learning Modules
    • Posters and Presentations
    • Community Based Research
    • Student Profiles
    • Training Workshops: Consultation Report
    • Publications / Resources
  • About CAHR
    • Who We Are
    • President’s Message
    • Board of Directors
    • Become a Member
    • CAHR Annual General Meeting
    • CAHR Strategic Plan 2020 – 2025
    • Staff
    • Contact
  • Media
    • CAHR News
    • Media
    • Featured Researchers
  • Conference
    • CAHR 2023
    • Future CAHR Conferences
    • Sponsors & Exhibitors
    • Mark Wainberg Lecture
    • Past Conferences
  • Awards
    • HCP Travel Awards Competition
    • Mark Wainberg Fund
    • CAHR-CANFAR Excellence in Research Awards
    • Red Ribbon Award
    • Funding Archive
    • Funding Landscape
  • Training
    • Workshops
    • Webinars
      • HIV and COVID-19: Clinical Considerations for Health Care Professionals in Canada
      • HIV and COVID-19: Clinical Considerations for Health Care Professionals in Canada PART 2
    • Clinical Summaries
    • E-Learning Modules
    • Posters and Presentations
    • Community Based Research
    • Student Profiles
    • Training Workshops: Consultation Report
    • Publications / Resources
  • About CAHR
    • Who We Are
    • President’s Message
    • Board of Directors
    • CAHR Board Trainee
    • Become a Member
    • CAHR Strategic Plan 2020 – 2025
    • CAHR Annual General Meeting
    • Call for Nominations: CAHR Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Contact
  • Media
    • CAHR News
    • Media

Tallie Kuang

Xiaomei (Tallie) Kuang, a Masters student from Simon Fraser University, is exploring how to eliminate a “sleeping virus”. In a person living with HIV, highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) is able to keep the level of virus in the body to a minimum. However, complete removal of HIV has not been possible because of latent reservoirs that cannot be targeted with HAART. A source of virus always remains in the body that can reestablish infection if treatment is stopped. A new avenue of research is investigating how to awaken these latent cells intentionally using anti-latency agents. This would make the cells more prone to the immune system and to other therapeutic agents.

But there are hurdles in this line of treatment. “Right now, a major challenge is that these cells are hard to reactivate, and even after they are activated, the cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) of the immune system might not be able to recognize or kill them,” explains Tallie. “One explanation for this is that these cells may not be efficient at presenting viral epitopes (viral proteins) on their surface, so CTLs don’t see them as being infected. It is also possible that anti-latency agents themselves alter epitope presentation.”

Currently, Tallie is developing an assay that will allow her to test these two theories. She will then measure the ability of reactivated cells to present HIV epitopes and determine whether exposure to anti-latency agents alters epitope presentation. With support from the CAHR Master’s Award, Tallie is able to purchase lab supplies to study HIV epitope presentation in response to different anti-latency drugs and travel to conferences to share her work with the HIV research community. Ultimately, she hopes that the results of her work can help to guide research towards the most effective anti-latency therapeutics, bringing us one step closer to a cure.

The Canadian Association for HIV Research is proud to support students like Tallie Kuang in their research through graduate research awards. Please visit https://www.cahr-acrv.ca/funding-opportunities/ to learn more.

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
CAHR 2023 Conference Logo

CAHR 2023
April 27 to 30, 2023

Learn More

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
Subscribe to the CAHR Newsletter

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.

Links

  • Who We Are
  • Conference
  • Awards
  • Workshops
  • Featured Researchers
  • Student Profiles
  • CAHR News

Contact

For more information or to make a comment, please contact us:

Canadian Association for HIV Research

440 Laurier Avenue West, Suite 200
Ottawa, Ontario K1R 7X6

1-888-374-CAHR (2247)
info@cahr-acrv.ca
  • Media
  • Contact
  • Français