Mathematics answers important AIDS questions

UNSW Mathematician Dr John Murray and PhD student Greg Londish delivered important presentations at the recent International AIDS Society conference in Sydney. The conference, attended by 6,000 people from all over the world, brings together researchers, clinicians, and HIV advocacy groups to discuss new treatments, prevention measures, and their implementation.

John Murray presented results from a clinical trial of the drug raltegravir belonging to a new class of HIV antiretroviral drugs, integrase inhibitors. Patients on this drug had faster decrease in virus than standard regimens. Using mathematical modelling Dr Murray was able to describe possible infection processes that could explain this behaviour. Dr Murray is also affiliated with the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, the major HIV research centre in Australia.

These findings were of considerable interest, being reported in several news reports, including interviews with New Scientist and appearing in other medical publications:

http://www.aidsmap.com/IAS-Integrase-inhibitor-raltegravir-MK-0518-potent-durable-and-more-tolerable-than-efavirenz-in-treatment-naive-at-48-weeks/page/1427919/

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/IAS/6243

Greg Londish reported results of mathematical modelling work on the effects of male circumcision on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa. Recent trials in Africa have discovered that male circumcision can reduce transmission from infected women by 60%. Serious consideration is now being given to increasing levels of male circumcision in sub-Saharan African countries as a way of reducing the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

These findings were reported at:
http://www.aidsmap.com/IAS-Models-predict-costs-and-benefits-of-circumcision-programmes/page/1427970/

For more information on these and other research topics, contact John Murray directly at J.Murray@unsw.edu.au