The Campbell Foundation
Helping Make HIV/AIDS History Since 1995
New HIV Research Funded by The Campbell Foundation Could Unlock Path to a Functional Cure
Fort Lauderdale, FL – Nov. 17, 2025 – The Campbell Foundation recently awarded a $61,426 grant to researchers at Vrije Universiteit (Brussels) who have launched a groundbreaking study that could revolutionize the battle against HIV.
Led by Prof. Dr. Joeri Aerts and his team at the Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy Research Group (NAVI), the project explores how a special type of immune cell called memory NK cells might be trained to seek out and destroy hidden HIV-infected cells.
What Are NK Cells and Why Do They Matter?
Natural killer (NK) cells are part of the body’s first line of defense. Unlike other immune cells that need time to recognize a virus, NK cells act fast. Recent discoveries show that NK cells can “remember” past infections just like the immune cells used in vaccines.
People living with HIV have more memory NK cells than those without the virus. These cells increase even more after therapeutic HIV vaccines. The team believes that these vaccines could train NK cells to recognize HIV-specific markers, allowing them to hunt down and eliminate the virus hiding in the body – something current treatments can’t do.
Three Key Goals
1. Find new HIV markers that NK cells can recognize.
2. Test if vaccinated individuals develop memory NK cells that respond to HIV.
3. See if these cells can destroy the hidden HIV reservoir — the virus that remains dormant and escapes current treatments.
“The Campbell Foundation’s support is indispensable to complete aims 1–3, and to generate the proof-of-concept data needed to advance toward larger, translational HIV cure studies,” said Aerts. “Without Campbell’s contribution, this integrative project cannot be realized.”
This is the first study to explore both direct and antibody-driven NK cell responses to HIV. If successful, it could lead to new vaccines or therapies that help people control HIV without daily medication — bringing us closer to a functional cure.
The findings could also help tackle other chronic viral infections where the virus hides from the immune system.
“From reducing lifelong treatment burdens to improving public health, this research holds promise for a healthier future,” said The Campbell Foundation’s Executive Director Ken Rapkin.
About The Campbell Foundation
The Campbell Foundation was established in 1995 by the late Richard Campbell Zahn as a private, independent, nonprofit foundation dedicated to supporting clinical, laboratory-based research into the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. It focuses its funding on supporting alternative, nontraditional avenues of research. As The Campbell Foundation celebrates its 30th year, it has given away more than $12 million dollars, with more than $1.5 million going to direct services.