Our research group is interested in the molecular mechanisms behind the epigenetic state reversal of the HIV-1 provirus. Upon infection by HIV-1, the causative agent of AIDS, the virus integrates in the genome of T-cells. The integrated provirus may stay latent in chromatin for years before it activates and re-spreads the infection. HIV-1 latency remains the main obstacle in the treatment of HIV-positive individuals. However, epigenetic state reversal of HIV-1 also serves as a general model to understand the activation and silencing of other loci important for e.g. development and cancer.

The focus of our research group is to investigate the establishment, maintenance and reversal of epigenetic states of the HIV-1 provirus. This circuitry of HIV-1 latency is modeled and tested in cell lines, as well as primary cells from both HIV- and HIV+ donors.

This project is part of an ongoing study (in collaboration with the clinical lab of Prof. Sönnerborg) that aims to use a newly developed technique to characterize chromatin and transcription of the HIV-1 provirus in single cells. You will use several cell and molecular biology techniques, mainly involving microscopy but also flow cytometry, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and droplet digital PCR. Reproducible results will be integrated in future publications.

Applications are invited from motivated master students for a degree project in our research group at the Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge. For more information on this project or for discussion on other projects, please contact Peter Svensson.