Topics and Trends in Most Cited HIV Research and Treatment Papers

Ranked by citations 18 months after publication

Class of 2026 (Papers Published in 2024)

What topics and trends defined most-cited HIV Research and Treatment research in the Class of 2026?

High-impact HIV research in the Class of 2026 shifted decisively toward broadly neutralizing antibodies, germline-targeting immunogen design, and capsid inhibitors like lenacapavir. Extended-interval regimens with twice-yearly dosing gained rapid traction, while studies on traditional treatment interruption and legacy antiretrovirals saw declining relative representation among top-cited works.

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Updated July 21, 2026

At a glance

Field
HIV Research and Treatment
Cohort label
Class of 2026 (2024 publications)
Papers analyzed
3,796
Papers ranked
20
Top topics in ranked papers
Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs), Lenacapavir, HIV-1 capsid, Germline-targeting immunogens
Publication window
Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
Eligibility
Research articles; reviews excluded
Citation window
18 months post-publication
18m citation range
32–334
Data source
OpenAlex · Retrieved Jul 2026
License
CC BY 4.0

Rankings

20 papers ranked by 18-month citation count

#1 of 3,796
33418m citations

Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir or Daily F/TAF for HIV Prevention in Cisgender Women

Linda-Gail Bekker et al.New England Journal of Medicine202410.1056/nejmoa2407001

Linda-Gail BekkerUniversity of Cape Town, South Africa

lenacapaviremtricitabine-tenofovir alafenamideF/TAFemtricitabine-tenofovir disoproxil fumarateF/TDFHIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)subcutaneous administrationTwice-yearly dosingcisgender womenadolescent girls and young womenHIV incidenceAdherenceinjection site reactionsphase 3 trialPURPOSE 1
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#2 of 3,796
12818m citations

Global, regional, and national burden of HIV/AIDS, 1990–2021, and forecasts to 2050, for 204 countries and territories: the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

GBD 2021 HIV CollaboratorsThe Lancet HIV202410.1016/s2352-3018(24)00212-1

GBD 2021 HIV CollaboratorsUniversity of Washington, United States

Global Burden of Disease Study 2021HIV incidenceHIV prevalenceHIV mortalityAntiretroviral therapy (ART)prevalence of unsuppressed viraemia (PUV)period lifetime probability of HIV acquisitionSustainable Development Goal 3.3UNAIDSmechanistic simulationHIV viral suppressionsentinel surveillance antenatal care clinic dataHIV forecasting to 2050ART coverage projection2030 HIV reduction targetscentral Europe eastern Europe central Asia HIV trendsHIV transmissionhousehold surveys HIVvital registration data
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#3 of 3,796
7918m citations

Switch to long-acting cabotegravir and rilpivirine in virologically suppressed adults with HIV in Africa (CARES): week 48 results from a randomised, multicentre, open-label, non-inferiority trial

Cissy Kityo et al.The Lancet Infectious Diseases202410.1016/s1473-3099(24)00289-5

Cissy KityoJoint Clinical Research Centre, Uganda

cabotegravirrilpivirineLong-acting injectable antiretroviral therapyHIV viral suppressionTreatment switchingnon-inferiority trialAfrica HIV cohortAdherenceHIV care in resource-limited settings
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#4 of 3,796
5918m citations

The HIV capsid mimics karyopherin engagement of FG-nucleoporins

C F Dickson, S Hertel et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-023-06969-7

David A. JacquesUniversity of New South Wales, Australia

HIV-1 capsidnuclear pore complexFG-nucleoporinskaryopherin mimicryHIV nuclear entryintrinsically disordered nucleoporin domainsFG motifsmultivalent FG interactionsFG-nucleoporin condensatesnon-dividing cell infectionselective barrier penetrationPermeability barrierin vitro nuclear pore dissection
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#5 of 3,796
5818m citations

HIV-1 capsids enter the FG phase of nuclear pores like a transport receptor

Liran Fu, Erika N Weiskopf, Onno Akkermans et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-023-06966-w

Thomas Schwartz, Dirk GörlichMax Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Germany

HIV-1 capsidnuclear pore complexFG phaseFG motifsnuclear transport receptorsNTR-independent targetingcohesive FG repeatsPermeability barrierHIV nuclear entryFG repeat bindingphase partitioningNPC central channelcargo encapsulationsize selectivity bypass
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#6 of 3,796
5018m citations

mRNA-LNP HIV-1 trimer boosters elicit precursors to broad neutralizing antibodies

Zhenfei Xie, Ying-Cing Lin, Jon M Steichen, Gabriel Ozorowski et al.Science202410.1126/science.adk0582

Zhenfei Xie, Ying‐Cing Lin, Jon M. Steichen, Gabriel Ozorowski, Andrew B. Ward, William R. Schief, Facundo D. BatistaRagon Institute, United States

mRNA-LNP deliveryGermline-targeting immunogensN332-GT5 trimerBroadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs)V3-glycan epitopeHumanized mouse modelsB cell lineageGerminal center reactionsepitope maskingB cell receptor modificationsomatic hypermutationaffinity maturationprime-boost immunization strategyoff-target V1-binding responsesHIV vaccinelipid nanoparticle formulationcross-reactivity minimization
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#7 of 3,796
5018m citations

DNA framework signal amplification platform-based high-throughput systemic immune monitoring

Ye Chen et al.Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy202410.1038/s41392-024-01736-0

Yi Li, Taoran Tian, Yunfeng LinSichuan University, China

DNA framework signal amplification platformsystemic immune monitoringflow cytometryhigh-throughput immune monitoringSELEXDNA tetrahedral frameworkCD4+ T cellsCD8+ T cellsmonocytesImmunophenotypingone-step immune-cell phenotypingPeople living with HIV (PLHIV)immunodeficiency stagingpoint-of-care devicecell washing-free detection30-min detectionmass health screening
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#8 of 3,796
4218m citations

Safety and antiviral effect of a triple combination of HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies: a phase 1/2a trial

Boris Julg, Victoria E K Walker-Sperling, Kshitij Wagh et al.Nature Medicine202410.1038/s41591-024-03247-5

Boris Jülg, Dan H. BarouchRagon Institute, United States

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs)PGT121PGDM1400VRC07-523LStriple bNAb combinationTreatment interruptionHIV viral suppressionViral reboundbNAb resistance mutationsbaseline resistanceimmune activationT cell exhaustionproinflammatory signalingCD4 countserum bNAb concentrationsneutralization coverageviral escape
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#9 of 3,796
4118m citations

Vaccine priming of rare HIV broadly neutralizing antibody precursors in nonhuman primates

Jon M Steichen, Ivy Phung, Eugenia Salcedo, Gabriel Ozorowski et al.Science202410.1126/science.adj8321

Jon M. Steichen, Ivy Phung, Eugenia Salcedo, Gabriel Ozorowski, Andrew B. Ward, Devin Sok, Shane Crotty, William R. SchiefThe Scripps Research Institute, United States

Germline-targeting immunogensBroadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs)HIV-1 Envelope glycoproteinN332-GT5 trimerHeavy chain complementarity-determining region 3B cell lineagerhesus macaque immunization modelgerminal center B cellsCryo-electron microscopyN332 glycan supersiteantibody-antigen recognitionvaccine primingoutbred animal modelHIV vaccinetrimer-binding interactionsprecursor frequency
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#10 of 3,796
3918m citations

Immune targeting of HIV-1 reservoir cells: a path to elimination strategies and cure

Marie Armani-Tourret et al.Nature Reviews Microbiology202410.1038/s41579-024-01010-8

Mathias LichterfeldBrigham and Women's Hospital, United States

HIV reservoirHIV cureimmune targetingAntiretroviral therapylatency reversal agentsshock and kill strategyHIV-specific immune responsesBroadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs)therapeutic vaccinesimmune checkpoint blockadeLatency reversalCD8+ T cells
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#11 of 3,796
3918m citations

HepB-CpG vs HepB-Alum Vaccine in People With HIV and Prior Vaccine Nonresponse

Kristen M Marks et al.JAMA202410.1001/jama.2024.24490

Kristen M MarksWeill Cornell Medicine, United States

HepB-CpG vaccineHepB-alum vaccinecytosine phosphoguanine adjuvantaluminum hydroxide adjuvanthepatitis B vaccine nonresponsePeople living with HIV (PLHIV)seroprotection responseantibody titer against HBsAghepatitis B surface antigenAntiretroviral therapyCD4 countHIV viral load2-dose vaccine regimen3-dose vaccine regimenvaccine noninferiorityIntramuscular administrationhepatitis B virus immunityrevaccination strategy
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#13 of 3,796
3618m citations

Vaccination induces broadly neutralizing antibody precursors to HIV gp41

Torben Schiffner, Ivy Phung, Rashmi Ray, Adriana Irimia, Ming Tian et al.Nature Immunology202410.1038/s41590-024-01833-w

Ian A. Wilson, Facundo D. Batista, Shane Crotty, William R. SchiefThe Scripps Research Institute, United States

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs)HIV gp4110E8 bnAbgermline-targeting epitope scaffoldsB cell lineageHeavy chain complementarity-determining region 3HIV-1 Envelope glycoproteinepitope structural mimicryNanoparticle multivalent displaynaive B cellsrhesus macaquesmRNA-encoded nanoparticlesgermline-targeting vaccine designrecessed epitope10E8-class precursorspriming immunogensneutralization breadth
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#14 of 3,796
3618m citations

Viral Suppression Rates at 48 Weeks in People With HIV Starting Long-Acting Cabotegravir/Rilpivirine With Initial Viremia

Matthew D Hickey et al.Clinical Infectious Diseases202410.1093/cid/ciae500

Matthew D. HickeyUniversity of California, San Francisco, United States

Long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapyLong-acting CAB/RPVHIV viremiaHIV viral suppressionAdherenceVirologic failureemergent resistance mutationsRPV-associated resistance mutationsCAB-associated resistance mutationslenacapavirbictegravir/tenofovir alafenamide/emtricitabineCD4 countHIV viral load48-week durabilityWard 86 HIV clinicPeople living with HIV (PLHIV)Treatment switching
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#15 of 3,796
3518m citations

Virological Failure After Switch to Long-Acting Cabotegravir and Rilpivirine Injectable Therapy: An In-depth Analysis

Berend J van Welzen et al.Clinical Infectious Diseases202410.1093/cid/ciae016

Berend J. van WelzenUniversity Medical Center Utrecht, Netherlands

Long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapyrilpivirineVirologic failureHIV-1genotypic resistance testingNNRTI resistanceINSTI resistanceDrug concentrationstrough concentrationssubtherapeutic drug levelsPharmacokinetic analysisreal-world settingMaintenance therapyresistance selectionpopulation cutofftreatment failure mechanisms
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#16 of 3,796
3418m citations

Vaccine induction of CD4-mimicking HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibody precursors in macaques

Kevin O Saunders et al.Cell202410.1016/j.cell.2023.12.002

Kevin O SaundersDuke University School of Medicine, United States

CD4-mimicking antibodiesBroadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs)B cell lineagevaccine inductionmacaque modelBNAb developmentGermline-targeting immunogensHIV-1 Envelope glycoproteinHIV vaccineneutralization breadthepitope targetingsomatic hypermutationaffinity maturation
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#17 of 3,796
3418m citations

The CARD8 inflammasome dictates HIV/SIV pathogenesis and disease progression

Qiankun Wang et al.Cell202410.1016/j.cell.2024.01.048

Liang ShanWashington University School of Medicine, United States

CARD8 inflammasomeHIV proteaseSimian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)CD4+ T cell depletionpyroptosisquiescent cellssooty mangabeysnatural hostHumanized mouse modelsCARD8-deficient cellsvirion entryT cell activationloss-of-function mutationsuninfected bystander cell deathnon-pathogenic infectionAIDS progression
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#18 of 3,796
3318m citations

Vaccine induction of heterologous HIV-1-neutralizing antibody B cell lineages in humans

Wilton B Williams et al.Cell202410.1016/j.cell.2024.04.033

Wilton B. Williams, S. Munir Alam, Stephen R. Walsh, Lindsey R. Baden, Barton F. HaynesDuke University, United States

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs)HIV vaccineB cell lineageHVTN 133 clinical trialMPERHIV-1 Envelope glycoproteintier 2 HIV-1 strainsclade B strainsimprobable mutationsHeterologous virus neutralizationVaccine-induced antibodiesantibody-lipid bindingsomatic hypermutationpolyclonal antibody responses
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#19 of 3,796
3218m citations

Neuroinflammation generated by HIV-infected microglia promotes dysfunction and death of neurons in human brain organoids

Weili Kong et al.PNAS Nexus202410.1093/pnasnexus/pgae179

Warner C. GreeneGladstone, United States

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorderAntiretroviral therapy (ART)brain microgliaCerebral organoidschoroid plexus organoidsCCL2CXCL10type I interferon stimulated genesMX1ISG15ISG20IFI27IFITM3S100 familysingle-cell RNA-seqneurotransmitter transporter expressioncellular senescencebystander neuronal dysfunctionneuroinflammation propagation
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#20 of 3,796
3218m citations

Mosaic HIV-1 vaccine regimen in southern African women (Imbokodo/HVTN 705/HPX2008): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2b trial

Glenda E Gray et al.The Lancet Infectious Diseases202410.1016/s1473-3099(24)00358-x

Glenda GraySouth African Medical Research Council, South Africa

HIV vaccineAd26.Mos4.HIVclade C gp140aluminium phosphate adjuvantadenovirus 26 vectorHIV transmissionvaccine efficacyphase 2b trialsub-Saharan Africayoung women at riskper-protocol populationsolicited adverse eventsPre-exposure prophylaxisintramuscular vaccination schedulerandomised placebo-controlled trialHIV prevention
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Dominant research themes and year-over-year shifts in HIV Research and Treatment

What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

High-impact HIV research in the Class of 2026 centers on advanced biomedical interventions, structural virology, and next-generation vaccine design. Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) dominate the field with a 22% presence among top-cited publications, reflecting intense focus on passive immunization and long-term viral suppression strategies. Parallel breakthroughs in capsid-targeted therapeutics, headlined by lenacapavir and investigations into HIV-1 capsid stability, highlight a pivotal shift toward ultra-long-acting regimens and novel viral entry inhibition mechanisms. Structural biology and immunology further shape the core landscape, with germline-targeting immunogens and HIV-1 Envelope glycoprotein dynamics driving rational HIV vaccine engineering. Researchers are increasingly dissecting B cell lineage development, affinity maturation, and somatic hypermutation to elicit potent neutralisers against viral diversity. Simultaneously, mechanistic insights into HIV nuclear entry and nuclear pore complex interactions illuminate early post-entry events critical for therapeutic targeting. Together, these thematic clusters demonstrate a dual focus: expanding real-world long-acting antiretroviral modalities while unraveling structural vulnerabilities to achieve durable HIV remission and preventive immunity.

Leading research themes
Leading research themes

How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026?

The transition from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026 reveals a significant pivot toward preventative immunogen engineering and ultra-long-acting therapeutic platforms. The most dramatic surge occurred in germline-targeting immunogens, ascending from zero mentions in the 2025 cohort to 12% in 2026, paired with rapid growth in affinity maturation and somatic hypermutation concepts. Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) also experienced a nearly fourfold rise (6% to 22%), underscoring a major migration toward antibody-mediated prevention and cure strategies. In antiviral therapeutics, lenacapavir and twice-yearly dosing expanded substantially, establishing long-acting injectable regimens as dominant clinical translational themes. Conversely, conventional therapeutic categories saw waning attention among top-cited literature: interest in routine treatment interruption decreased (12% to 8%), while classical antiretrovirals like rilpivirine and CD8+ T cell response analyses contracted significantly. Overall, high-impact HIV research has reoriented away from legacy antiretroviral management toward precision immunogen design, capsid inhibition, and extended-interval dosing paradigms.

How topics shifted year over year
How topics shifted year over year
Methodology

PRI identifies high-impact research using a transparent, topic-agnostic framework applied consistently across scientific domains. Bibliographic records are drawn from OpenAlex, including publication dates, citation relationships, and document types.

This ranking covers the Class of 2026 cohort: journal articles published in 2024. Reviews and other non-article document types are excluded to ensure comparability.

Research impact is quantified with an 18-month post-publication citation window—the number of citing works published within 18 months of each paper's publication date. This metric captures early impact while controlling for publication age.

An LLM-based relevance classifier then reviews each candidate's title and abstract to confirm substantive alignment with the target domain. Only papers classified as relevant appear in the final ranking.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459

Full methodologyGitHubbioRxiv preprint

Cite this ranking

Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited HIV Research and Treatment Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/hiv-research-and-treatment/2026. Accessed 2026-07-21.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459