IAVI REPORT – VOL. 19, NO. 4, 2015

I imagine there are many spectacular perks to being editor of a travel magazine. Trips to exotic destinations, stays in fancy hotels, those sorts of things. Well, one of the best parts of being editor of IAVI Report is sitting down with some of the greatest scientists and policymakers in the field and chatting with them about their lives, their work, and the disease that has in many cases been the central focus of their careers. Trust me, it’s a big perk, and for this issue I had the opportunity to talk with one of the greats—Françoise Barré-Sinoussi.

She of course is a Nobel laureate for her role in discovering HIV and is one of the most outspoken advocates for cure research. It just so happens she retired recently and so we used the occasion of her hanging up her lab coat to talk about her inspirational career and her thoughts on treatment, cure, and vaccine research today.

Also in this issue we review the latest developments in microbicide research. The microbicide field which was once beleaguered by seemingly multiple failed trials, is now eagerly awaiting the results from a pair of studies evaluating whether vaginal rings containing HIV-specific drugs can prevent HIV infection. We also take an in-depth look at the status of the research and development of Ebola vaccines. While 2014 was marred by the worst Ebola epidemic to date, this year there was great progress in the development of vaccine candidates designed to prevent another outbreak from escalating out of control, or ever occurring at all.

Together, these articles capture inspiration, hope, and progress. And we couldn’t think of better sentiments to close out the year. We wish all of our readers a happy, healthy, and safe 2016!

—Kristen Jill Kresge