Professor Tomas Hanke tells us about his research on HIV vaccine development. The enormous variations in HIV present big challenges in the development of a vaccine. Professor Tomáš Hanke focuses on the most conserved regions of the HIV-1 proteome, with the aim of developing a vaccine for both adult and mother-to-child transmission. Professor Hanke's group tests novel ideas and vaccine strategies, and focusses on a safe but rapid translation of the most promising laboratory results to phase I/II clinical trials in human volunteers. The ultimate goal is to develop a safe, effective and accessible HIV vaccine.