In a groundbreaking development, researchers FROM Melbourne, Australia, have taken a significant step forward in the global pursuit of a cure for HIV by successfully using mRNA technology—similar to that behind COVID-19 vaccines—to expose the hidden virus in the body.
At the University of Melbourne’s Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, scientists have repurposed mRNA delivery systems not to prevent HIV, but to “unmask” it, revealing the virus that typically hides in a dormant state within white blood cells.
Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) has made HIV a manageable chronic condition, it doesn’t eliminate the virus. Instead, HIV persists in a reservoir of resting CD4⁺ T cells, reactivating if treatment stops. The Doherty Institute’s innovation uses a novel lipid nanoparticle—a minuscule fat bubble—to deliver mRNA directly into these infected cells, coaxing them into exposing the virus.
“This is the first time this strategy has shown such success in HIV-infected cells,” said Dr Paula Cevaal, research fellow and co-first author of the study published in Nature Communications. “We programmed mRNA to tell infected cells to give up the virus and make it visible. That’s the breakthrough—making HIV vulnerable to elimination.”
An Exciting Milestone in HIV Research
Professor Sharon Lewin, Director of the Doherty Institute and a global leader in HIV cure research, said the pandemic-era work on COVID-19 mRNA treatments sparked the idea.
“Back in 2020, we explored mRNA delivery for COVID-19 treatments. That work shifted our approach to HIV research,” said Lewin, who co-authored the study. “What we’ve now achieved is a very exciting milestone—building a targeted delivery system to reach the HIV reservoir.”
The work remains in early stages, with preclinical trials on animal models being the next step. However, researchers are optimistic. Dr Michael Roche, a virologist at the Institute, says they’re preparing for those next phases while recognising broader applications.
“These immune cells where HIV hides are also involved in other illnesses, including cancer and autoimmune diseases,” he said. “Delivering mRNA safely into these cells could open doors to new treatments far beyond HIV.”
