About

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is responsible for a lifelong infection that attacks the immune system. If left untreated, it can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). There is currently no cure for HIV, but preventive treatments and therapies are available that can significantly improve the quality of life and life expectancy of people living with HIV (PLWH).

The Ling Lab is committed to fighting the global HIV/AIDS epidemic through our research on the non-human primate model using the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) or the chimeric simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) to mimic HIV pathogenesis and the persistence of viral reservoirs in the body. Particularly, its persistence in tissues such as the lymph nodes, the spleen, the gut, and the brain.

The goal of our lab is to develop novel drug delivery and therapeutic strategies to eradicate HIV. By studying HIV persistence in the lab, we are able to observe how the virus spreads in a host with or without the intervention of antiretroviral drugs. Additional research interests include HIV comorbidities and aging.

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