In episode 74 of Going anti-Viral, Dr John Frater joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss a presentation he gave at the 2026 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) entitled Immunology of HIV Cure and Beyond: Navigating Immunology Presentations at CROI 2026. Dr Frater is a Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Oxford where he leads the HIV Reservoir and Cure Group. The aim of his research is to explore strategies for targeting the reservoir of latent HIV infection in treated individuals, with a specific interest in primary HIV infection. He is a lead investigator on several major HIV clinical studies, many of which include antiretroviral therapy treatment interruptions. His laboratory focus is on immune responses that may lead to viral control and the impact of viral variation. Dr Frater and Dr Saag discuss the basics of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy as well as the barriers to HIV cure. They also address complexities of HIV latency and the challenges in identifying and eliminating latent reservoirs. Dr Frater addresses the promising strategies involving immune responses in targeting reservoirs and the role of early treatment in HIV cure.

0:00 – Introduction

2:15 – Basics of HIV infection and the barrier to HIV cure: latently infected cells

3:56 – Why do some cells die after 1 day

6:04 – Strategies to identify and eliminate latently infected cells

8:52 – The role of immune responses in targeting reservoirs

11:42 – Timing of reservoir establishment and early treatment

16:49 – Measuring the latent reservoir: challenges and methods

18:16 – The London Patient and cure evidence

22:14 – Future directions and hope for HIV cure

Resources:

CROI 2026: https://www.croiconference.org/

View Dr Frater’s presentation at CROI 2026: https://www.croiwebcasts.org/p/2026croi/croi/CR-55003

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Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email podcast@iasusa.org to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

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In episode 73 of Going anti-Viral, we represent a panel discussion from March 26, 2026, as part of the IAS–USA Dialogue series Emerging Infections and Health Threats. This Dialogue is a must listen as our distinguished panel of infectious disease experts dives deep into some of the most pressing public health challenges facing the world today. Moderated by Carlos del Rio, MD, a Distinguished Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine, this Dialogue brings together world-class experts Yvonne Maldonado, MD, and Peter Chin-Hong, MD. The panel discusses a recent federal court ruling regarding the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and addresses the latest news on rates of vaccination and an update on emerging viral outbreaks, including measles, influenza, COVID-19, meningitis, tuberculosis, mpox, and RSV. The panel also reflects on the implications of the lack of leadership at the CDC on public health.

0:00 – Introduction

2:33 – March 2026 federal court ruling pausing the work of the ACIP

7:08 – Review of the reduction in immunization rates in the US

12:51 – Measles cases in the US and efforts to address misinformation

20:28 – Breaking down recent influenza rates

25:42 – Update on COVID-19 – variants and vaccination

33:42 – Leadership gap at the CDC and implications for public health

41:35 – Meningitis outbreak in England and status of vaccination in the US

49:46 – Increase in cases of tuberculosis in the US

56:45 – Update on mpox cases and vaccination

59:12 – Brief review of RSV cases and vaccination and closing remarks

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email podcast@iasusa.org to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
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In episode 72 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Alan Winston joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss a presentation he gave at the 2026 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) entitled Neurodegeneration and Dementia Risk in Older Adults With HIV: Biomarkers and Epidemiology. Dr Winston is a Professor of HIV and Genitourinary Medicine at Imperial College London and Consultant Physician at St. Mary's Hospital, London. His research focuses on noninfectious comorbidities associated with HIV in the modern antiretroviral era, with a strong focus on central nervous system complications. He is the principal clinical investigator on the POPPY study, a cohort study describing the incidence and nature of comorbidities in HIV. Dr Winston and Dr Saag discuss the history and current understanding of neurodegeneration and dementia risk in older adults with HIV and review the impact of antiretroviral therapy and neuroinflammation. They review clinical assessment and screening for dementia and neurodegenerative disease including a detailed discussion of imaging techniques and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) examination.

0:00 – Introduction

1:30 – HIV and neurodegeneration

4:37 – Current manifestations of CNS disease in older adults with HIV

8:28 – Assessing cognitive health in older adults with HIV

12:29 – Screening for dementia and neurodegenerative disease

18:20 – Neuropsychometric testing, CSF examination, and management of CSF escape

24:23 – Imaging techniques and future directions

Resources:

CROI 2026: https://www.croiconference.org/

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email podcast@iasusa.org to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
Apple Podcasts
YouTube
X
Facebook
Instagram
...