New fellow aims to decode hidden HIV reservoirs

The Wistar Institute has appointed Vincent Wu, PhD, as a Caspar Wistar Fellow in its Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center, bringing expertise in molecular biology and computational analysis to tackle one of HIV research’s most challenging problems: the persistent viral reservoir.

Wu, who first studied HIV-2 as an undergraduate, has spent a decade investigating how the virus survives immune defences and hides in infected cells. During his postdoctoral work in Michael Betts’ lab at the University of Pennsylvania, he mastered single-cell profiling and computational tools to analyse complex datasets, providing a high-resolution view of cellular changes during infection.

“The molecular biology and bioinformatics sides often speak different languages,” Wu explained. “My goal is to build a lab where both approaches work together harmoniously, allowing experiments to directly inform data analysis and interpretation.”

A central focus of Wu’s research is the HIV reservoir - a heterogeneous population of cells that persists despite therapy. Using single-cell methods, he aims to map its composition, uncover what regulates it, and understand how it changes over time or after interventions. He is also pursuing ‘shock-and-kill’ strategies to activate dormant virus, making infected cells vulnerable to immune therapies. Recent work with mRNA–LNP approaches complements Wistar collaborations with CAR-T cell and broadly neutralising antibody researchers.

“Dr Wu’s integration of experimental and computational approaches places him at the forefront of HIV and immunology research,” said David Weiner, PhD, Wistar Executive Vice President and Director of the Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center. Wu’s tools will support studies across Wistar’s HIV and immunotherapy programmes, advancing efforts to understand protective immunity and identify new therapeutic targets.

As a Caspar Wistar Fellow, Wu will receive institutional support to establish his lab and advance an ambitious research programme aimed at decoding and ultimately disrupting HIV reservoirs.

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