Journal of AIDS & Clinical Research

Targeting HIV?s Weaknesses: The Quest for a Universal Vaccine

Abstract

Huxleigh Averitt*

The quest for a universal HIV vaccine is one of the most ambitious and complex undertakings in modern medical science. Despite decades of research, an effective vaccine to prevent HIV infection remains elusive, leaving scientists to continue searching for a breakthrough that could ultimately end the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. What makes HIV particularly challenging as a target for vaccination is its ability to constantly evolve and evade the immune system. To create a universal vaccine capable of protecting against the virus, researchers must understand and exploit HIV’s weaknesses—its vulnerabilities to immune responses, the ways it interacts with the human body, and its structural weaknesses that could be targeted by a vaccine. One of the main obstacles to developing a universal HIV vaccine is the virus’s extraordinary diversity.