Zephyr Foundation

A full year has passed since the publication of “Partially Positive”, an article written to describe my experiences as a research subject in several clinical studies whose focus is Elite and Viremic Controllers of HIV. Recently, theBody.com kindly invited me to compose an ‘update’, which I share with you now.

My journey into the realm of scientific research began in 2004, when I enrolled in Dr. Bruce Walker’s cohort known as Partners AIDS Research, a collaborative effort between Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. Initial test results confirmed that I suppressed the virus naturally. I consistently registered high CD4 counts (1800 – 2200 range) and an ‘undetectable’ viral load since that test was made available in 1995. Infected in 1991, and diagnosed in July, 1992, I remain without symptoms, and have never been on a medication regimen of any kind. In 2005, I enrolled in studies conducted by University of California at Davis Medical Center, Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology, and in early spring, 2006, enrolled in the Long-Term Non-Progressor’s Study at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, donating blood, tissues and DNA samples as contributions toward discoveries in the battle against the virus.

During my second visit to the NIH in June, 2006, I was offered a unique view of the defensive measures taken by my immune system via a Power Point presentation given by Dr. Stephen Migueles and Dr. Mark Connors, which exhibited how my ‘T-fighter cells’, or CD4’s, proliferate (multiply) in uncommonly high numbers when exposed to the virus. (It is interesting to note that in a parallel elite controller study conducted by Dr. Steven Deeks, University of California, San Francisco, a discovery was made: “About half of the elite (controllers) control the virus, as expected, through a powerful response by T-cells. The other half shows no such T-cell response.” [Los Angeles Times article by James Ricci, July 2006, ‘HIV-Positive Group May Hold the Key to Defeating AIDS’]).

In addition to conferencing with the NIH research physicians, the purpose of my trip was to undergo a leukapheresis, a procedure whereby blood is removed through a needle in the vein of one arm, and spun in a machine which permits separation of the desired blood component (in this case, white blood cells and plasma). The remainder is re-infused either through the same needle or through a needle in a vein in the other arm. This procedure was painless, and took approximately one (1) hour. The end result was my donation of 2 billion white blood cells, which would aid in the determination of how the immune system of some patients are able to control HIV and be a very ‘important step for designing vaccines and therapies for HIV’ (quoted from the NIH ‘Consent to Participate in a Clinical Research Study’ form).