defeatHIV, the Delaney Cell and Genome Engineering Initiative, is a consortium of committed investigators found in both academic and private sector research institutions, working together for a common purpose—to eradicate HIV.  As a Martin Delaney Collaboratory (MDC) program, we are inspired to re-examine existing approaches in the fight against AIDS and to focus our energies on developing innovative and novel strategies to abrogate the spread of this debilitating disease. Our core technologies utilize the latest cell and gene therapy approaches to eliminate latently-infected cells after viral reactivation, and improve the body’s ability to control unpredictable reactivation events from a therapeutically-reduced reservoir.  It is our mission to leverage the knowledge, expertise and resources of the consortium to generate a realistic and promising pathway toward the ultimate goal of an HIV cure.