Cracking the Code

For the first time in the history of the AIDS epidemic, researchers have completely decoded HIV's genome, including crafting a precise three-dimensional model of the virus's genetic structure. Reporting in the journal Nature, the scientists say a better understanding of HIV's viral structure will aid in the development of therapies for the disease and illnesses like hepatitis and influenza. Specifically, the researchers hope their findings will lead to the development of engineered genes that target and disable specific regions of HIV's RNA.