Robert F. Siliciano facts for kids

Robert F. Siliciano is a very important scientist. He is a professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He also works as an investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. Siliciano (say it: sill-ih-CAH-noh) studies how the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can hide in the human body. This hiding is called "latency."

Becoming a Scientist

Robert Siliciano loved chemistry when he was a kid. His mom, Ann, was a professor who taught about how the body works. She helped him learn even more about science.

Early Education

Dr. Siliciano went to Princeton University for his first degree. There, he studied chemistry. After that, he went to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He earned two important degrees there: an MD (which means he can be a doctor) and a PhD (which means he is an expert researcher).

Advanced Training

He continued his training at Harvard University. He worked with another scientist named Ellis Reinherz. During this time, Dr. Siliciano learned more about immunology. This is the study of how our body fights off sickness. He looked at how special cells, called CD4-positive T-cells, react to things that can make us sick.

Current Role

Today, Dr. Siliciano is a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He is also a researcher for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI).

Understanding HIV

Dr. Siliciano's main research focuses on a big problem with HIV. This problem is called HIV latency.

What is HIV Latency?

When HIV enters a person's body, it can hide inside their cells. It becomes "latent," which means it is quiet and not active. When the virus is latent, the body's immune system cannot find or destroy it. This is a big challenge for doctors trying to cure HIV.

Discovering Hidden HIV

In 1995, Dr. Siliciano's lab made a huge discovery. They were the first to show that these hidden, latent HIV cells exist in people with HIV. They also created ways to study these hidden viruses. This helped many other scientists understand the problem better.

Why HIV Stays Hidden

Dr. Siliciano worked with his wife, Janet Siliciano. They found that these hidden HIV cells stay in the body for a very long time. Even if people take strong medicines, the virus can still be there. These medicines are called Antiretroviral drugs. They are very good at stopping HIV from making copies of itself.

Challenges with Treatment

However, these medicines have some downsides. Some people might feel sick from them. Also, if someone stops taking their medicine, the hidden HIV can wake up. It can then start spreading again. This is why people with HIV usually need to take medicine for their whole lives. The hidden virus is the main reason why it's so hard to cure HIV completely. Many scientists around the world are working hard to solve this problem.

Awards and Recognition

Dr. Siliciano has received many important awards for his work. These awards show how much his research has helped people.

• Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Distinguished Clinical Scientist Award
• HIV DART Achievement Award in HIV Therapeutics
• W. Barry Wood Jr. Award
• International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care Award
• Member, National Academy of Science
• Member, National Academy of Medicine
• Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences