Statistical and bioinformatics techniques relevant to the development of strategies for the elimination of HIV-1 viral reservoirs

Abstract

This project will contribute to the thematic project multiple interventions to eliminate HIV reservoirs among antiretroviral treated individuals to obtain sustained HIV remission without antiretrovirals support in the areas of bioinformatics and statistics, applying the techniques of these two disciplines to the biological and clinical analyses that derive from the overall project. The first objective of the project is to provide the investigators with quantitative results that permit them to draw well-founded conclusions. The second objective is to develop new techniques and computer programs that are necessary to complete those analyses for which techniques still do not exist. The third objective is to identify bioinformatics techniques that can evaluate the utility and behavior of biomarkers that identify viral reservoirs. The last objective is to work as part of the team that designs the personalized vaccines for those patients chosen for this intervention. Dr. Hunter will use the R system of statistical analysis as the base for the analyses, new software and scripts that will form substance of the work. The statistical and bioinformatic results will be included in the project's studies as well as in the scientific analyses of the overall thematic project. Most medical research does not involve a quantitative specialist. This post-doctoral fellowship gives the thematic project an advantage because of the tight integration of quantitative analyses with the types of research that underlie the overall research program. (AU)