How to Answer: Do you have an understanding of 'HIV reservoir'?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a ViiV Healthcare job interview.
2. Do you have an understanding of 'HIV reservoir'?
How to Answer
When it was first shown that triple combinations of antiretroviral (ART) drugs could suppress HIV replication, there were hopes that long-term ART would eventually lead to the clearance of all HIV-infected cells from the body. However, scientists discovered that HIV persists in an inactive, latent form in certain immune system cells. They discovered that some of these cells can become active when ART is interrupted. The latent HIV that persists despite ART is described as the HIV reservoir, and it is considered the major barrier to achieving a cure. Researchers seeking to find a cure for HIV are vigorously trying to discover the cause of these latent cells becoming active after such a long time of inactivity. Share any knowledge you have regarding HIV reservoir.
1st Answer Example
"I followed a case study of a patient who had been diagnosed with HIV. He participated in ART therapy faithfully for a few years and the progression of HIV appeared to slow. However, he experienced some emotional issues and stopped the ART therapy. He unfortunately experienced a rapid decline as the latent memory CD4 T cells became active again."
2nd Answer Example
"When I first began to study HIV therapy, the researcher I worked with was doing a study on latent memory CD4 T cells. I was able to follow his research and study the comparisons of patients who participated in aggressive ART therapy and those who stopped the therapy and experienced the effects of those cells becoming active again."