Perspectives in HIV Vaccine Development: What we have Learned and

Thirty years have passed since the first report of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and the subsequent discovery of its etiological agent, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) [1,2]. Never before has a single virus been so thoroughly studied, providing vast amounts of data and insight into the intricate complexities of its innate and adaptive immune responses. Despite this knowledge and the advanced development of antiretroviral drugs that are highly effective in suppressing HIV viremia and preventing progression to AIDS [3,4], an effective vaccine capable of preventing infection from the diversity of the circulating viral variants has lagged behind. Here, we discuss the scientific challenges and review the advances in new vaccine technologies, which may provide the breakthroughs for truly effective HIV vaccine candidates.