Science on Tap: Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Monday April 10th

2017 6:00 PM

Jack Quinn's Irish Pub and Restaurant

21 South Tejon (map)

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a lentivirus that causes HIV infection and over time, acqired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The CDC estimates there are approximately 37 million people worldwide currently living with HIV. Since its discovery in 1983, HIV has been rigorously studied with many potential therapeutics and vaccines being designed and tested. There are therapeutics targeting nearly every life cycle stage of the virus. Current vaccine trials against HIV have achieved an efficacy of approximately 30%, too low for a viable vaccine. Dr. James M Kovacs will outline a vaccine approach that he has pioneered, specifically a phase two efficacy clinical trial.

Dr. James M Kovacs received his PhD in Biochemistry, Structural Biology and Biophysics from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 2010. His last post-doctoral work was in the Department of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. He is currently a visiting Assistant Professor at Colorado College and will join the Biochemistry department at UCCS next fall. His research focuses are multifaceted- investigating immunology, virology and structural biology in order to understand and target clinically relevant targets.

The meeting officially runs from 6:30 until 8:00. But they are usually very popular(read well attended). So it is best if you get there ahead of time. I suggest around 6 p.m. Look for others who RSVP. It is held in their upstairs meeting room. We usually grab a table or two to the Back Right (SE part of the room). Food and drinks are available and served throughout the meeting. But you are definitely not required or pressured to purchase anything!

This is the April meeting of the Science on Tap. It is sponsored by the Colorado Springs Science Center project. http://www.cssciencecenter.org/programming/science-on-tap-events SOT is held the Second Monday of every month.

Most topics are acceptable for kids, but most are NOT targeted to kids. Use your own judgment if your kid(s) are interested, and patient enough, to sit through the discussion. You can ask questions in the group setting, since about half the time devoted to questions. Or at the end, the speakers usually hang out for quite awhile after to answer questions. And of course, often "we" hang out and talk also.

Hope to see you there for some enjoyable conversation.