Researchers at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne have achieved a significant breakthrough in HIV research. The team has developed a method to expose HIV that conceals itself within white blood cells, where it remains undetectable to both the immune system and treatment drugs.The discovery centres on innovative lipid nanoparticles that can deliver mRNA technology to these cells. This forces the virus to reveal itself, potentially enabling the immune system or medications to identify and eliminate it.The findings, published in Nature Communications, represent a crucial step towards developing a cure for HIV.The findings represent a crucial step towards developing a cure for HIVGETTYThe breakthrough involved creating a novel type of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) that overcame a major scientific barrier. Previously, delivering mRNA to these specific blood cells was considered impossible because they would not absorb the standard LNPs used as carriers.The Melbourne team’s innovative nanoparticle design successfully transports mRNA into the cells. Once inside, the mRNA provides instructions that compel the cells to expose the hidden virus.This development marks a significant advance in HIV research, as it addresses the fundamental challenge of detecting a virus that evades conventional treatments by hiding within the body’s immune cells.Dr Paula Cevaal, research fellow at the Doherty Institute and co-first author of the study, revealed that delivering mRNA to these cells was “previously thought impossible”. The team’s initial reaction to their results was one of disbelief.”We sent her back into the lab to repeat it, and she came back the next week with results that were equally good,” Dr Cevaal told The Guardian. “So we had to believe it. And of course, since then, we’ve repeated it many, many, many more times.”She described the team’s astonishment: “We were overwhelmed by how [much of a] night and day difference it was from not working before, and then all of a sudden it was working. And all of us were just sitting, gasping like, ‘wow’.”Researchers have expressed unprecedented optimism about the discoveryGETTYDr Cevaal acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating: “In the field of biomedicine, many things eventually don’t make it into the clinic, that is the unfortunate truth. I don’t want to paint a prettier picture than what the reality is.”However, she expressed unprecedented optimism about the discovery. “But in terms of specifically the field of HIV cure, we have never seen anything close to as good as what we are seeing, in terms of how well we are able to reveal this virus.”The research utilised cells donated by HIV patients. Further studies must determine whether exposing the virus will enable the body’s immune system to eliminate it.Extensive safety testing over several years will be necessary before human trials can commence.