International AIDS Conference: In Munich for the first time

Professor Johannes Bogner is an infectiologist and head of the Department of Infectiology at LMU Klinikum. He was instrumental in promoting Munich as a conference location.

"HIV is still a global problem with around 40 million people affected. Although there is now excellent prevention and education and state-of-the-art diagnostics including self-testing are available, there are still more than 1.3 million new infections every year - around 2,000 in Germany. The fight against HIV has therefore not yet been won. Further improvements are needed through new scientific findings and new drugs.

The 25th World AIDS Conference (AIDS2024) will take place from July 22 to 26, 2024 to facilitate an exchange of ideas. From July 21, 2024, the Global Village will be open to the public free of charge. AIDS2024 is the most important political and scientific conference in the fight against HIV and is organized by the World AIDS Society (IAS). We are proud and happy that, together with Professor Christoph Spinner from the Technical University of Munich, we have succeeded in bringing this conference to Munich for the first time.

In over 40 symposia, the latest scientific findings will be shared and discussed in six different categories. Around 15,000 delegates are expected to attend and there will also be some well-known politicians, public figures and artists at the conference and in the Global Village."

Dr. Arne Kroidl is a specialist in internal medicine and head of the HIV and Coinfections Unit at the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine.

"The development of a protective vaccine against HIV is an important prevention goal in the global fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic. However, despite more than 30 years of research, there is still no effective HIV vaccine. To date, only one study has demonstrated a moderate protective effect using an HIV vaccine regimen consisting of viral vectors and recombinant proteins. Since then, extensive studies have been conducted on the efficacy of vaccines using various viral vector/protein-based regimens in high-risk HIV populations, but these have been terminated prematurely due to lack of efficacy. This includes the most recent, recently discontinued DNA/viral vector/protein-based PrePVacc efficacy study, the results of which will be presented at the AIDS conference in Munich.

The Tropical Institute has been involved in HIV vaccine research in Africa for over 20 years in collaboration with European, US and African partners, which has led to the establishment of the PrePVacc network. The collaboration includes conducting clinical trials and immunological analysis of links between vaccine immunity and vaccine protection conducted at our African partner institutions."

Professor Michael Hoelscher is Director of the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine at LMU University Hospital.

"After more than four decades of fighting HIV/AIDS, we are still faced with the task of mobilizing support for countries with scarce resources and improving prevention and treatments, especially for the most vulnerable populations. The Tropical Institute Munich remains committed to improving health care in the Global South.

Over the past 35 years, we have conducted numerous studies with our long-standing partners in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Mozambique to develop better monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, diagnostic tools and treatment protocols for mothers and their newborns. We are also focusing on improving the treatment of tuberculosis, the leading cause of death among people infected with HIV.

Our research also aims to uncover previously unknown risk factors, such as infections with parasitic worms, that contribute to HIV infection. By treating these co-infections, we may be able to reduce the HIV burden. The Tropical Institute Munich is conducting this important work in collaboration with global partners, including the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) in Germany and institutions across Europe and the United States."