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erlenmyer-research
Research group/lab  |  Migratory Health & Neglected Tropical Diseases (MH & NTD)

HIV research group: treatment and the road towards cure.

The clinical HIV research group endeavours to find the best treatment strategy for each individual with HIV and unravel the mystery of curing HIV.

About our research group/lab

Our research

Clinical HIV treatment
We study new ways to treat HIV and tailor antiretroviral treatment strategies towards personal situations. This includes new antiretroviral therapy strategies and comorbidities. We collaborate in a broad network of medical centers for trials. In addition, we participate and use the unique nationwide HIV cohort of the Dutch HIV Monitoring Foundation.

HIV Cure
Our research aim is find a cure for people with HIV. As Erasmus MC HIV Eradication Group (EHEG) together with scientists from Biochemistry, Virosciences, Immunology, we set-out in 2012 to unravel the obstacles to cure HIV on cellular levels, develop a drug pipeline of putative cure agents, and perform bench to bedside studies with newly discovered strategies. We participate in the NL4Cure consortium, a Dutch collaboration of research groups that defined a national cure research agenda.

Stop the HIV epidemic
In line with the United Nations goal to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic by 2030, we aim to improve HIV awareness amongst the public and healthcare professionals to enable proper testing of those at risk for HIV. People who are unaware of their HIV infection cannot be treated. Without treatment, AIDS can develop and HIV can still be transmitted to others. As infectious diseases specialists, we strive to use innovative solutions to reach zero new HIV/AIDS diagnosis. 

 

Our projects

Clinical HIV treatment projects
We study new antiretroviral treatments (e.g. mono- and dual antiretroviral therapy) and new management strategies in HIV patients with comorbidities (e.g. renal dysfunction, hepatitis C, immune reconstitution) to improve individual treatment results and health.

HIV Cure projects
We coordinate several long-term studies of patients who acquired HIV very recently up to patients with a more longstanding infection or AIDS. The purpose is to collect samples for in-depth HIV persistence studies of the HIV reservoir. This enables us to study strategies how to eradicate HIV. Promising strategies are translated into interventional studies with patients to evaluate the potency to cure HIV.

HIV Elimination projects
Through collaboration with public health and general practitioners in the Rotterdam-Rijnmond region, we facilitate and study new ways to detect HIV in as early as possible after infection and allow prompt linkage to care of newly diagnosed HIV patients. Also in hospitals, we study the effect of promoting pro-active test strategies for HIV through the #aware.HIV project and regional/national initiatives. 

 

Key Publications

See profile pages of the PI's.

Collaborations

  • Erasmus MC HIV Eradication Group (EHEG): collaboration with the Erasmus MC departments Viroscience, Biochemistry and Immunology.
  • ATHENA cohort of the Dutch HIV Monitoring Foundation.

  • NOVA research group collaboration with Amsterdam UMC and multiple participating HIV treatment centers.

  • NL4Cure collaboration of Dutch stakeholders involved in cure research.

  • European HIV Cure Consortium of European stakeholders in cure research.

  • HIV-2000 research group collaboration with Radboud UMC

  • Network of HIV treatment centers for multicentre studies

  • Hiv Vereniging and AIDSfonds

  • Technical University Delft and MyTomorrows

  • Industry: Gilead, Janssen, Merck, Viiv

Funding & Grants

  • Health Holland
  • AIDSfonds
  • Erasmus MC Mrace
  • Stichting Kwaliteitsgelden Medisch Specialisten
  • Unrestricted grants for investigator initiated research from Gilead, Janssen, Merck, Viiv.

Our team

  • Dr. B.J.A. Rijnders
  • Dr. C. Rokx
  • Drs. N.R. Verwijs
  • Drs. H. Prins
  • Drs. A. Dunbar
  • Drs. A. Groenendijk
  • Drs. C.C.E. Jordans
  • Mw. A. Karisli
  • Dhr. R. van Engen