HIV/Aids Research Network

Aids is the infectious disease that causes the highest number of deaths worldwide (3 million deaths each year). At present 42 million people are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), of which 570,000 live in Western Europe. As young people's awareness of Aids, its routes of infection and the risk of contracting it has diminished, Aids continues to be one of the challenges confronting modern societies.

Since the virus was discovered in 1984, German scientists have made significant contributions towards research into and treatment of this infectious disease. Further advances are necessary in order to maintain the high quality of German HIV research and treatment and to incorporate these activities into international efforts. Such advances can only be achieved by pooling Germany's scientific resources and through early transfer of results into health care. This is the goal pursued by the HIV/Aids research network.

The participating research groups are gathering a cohort of patients with whose assistance various questions are to be answered within the framework of 21 projects:

• Infective process and length of time spent by the virus in the patient's organism
• Study of immunological and genetic markers which influence the progression of Aids, treatment possibilities and the occurrence of undesirable side effects of drugs
• Strategies for restoring immunological and neurological functions and
• Research into the psychological, social and economic consequences of infection.

The study of HIV is no niche research, as its results will provide important stimuli for the study of infectious diseases in general, for immunology, oncology as well as drug and vaccine research.

> HIV/Aids Research Network

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