Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV) causes a persistent infection and results in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). AIDS has remained a global pandemic for over 40 years as HIV integrates into the genome of infected individuals and remains latent for years. Over the last decade, much emphasis has been centered on pathogenesis and vaccine development, but an emerging paradigm is taking place whereby targeted therapeutics are being developed to both control virus expression as well as possibly target viral infected cells for eradication. This conference for the first time brings together an interdisciplinary group of basic and applied scientists working on various aspects of HIV treatment and eradication strategies in an effort to translate our current understanding of HIV biology into meaningful therapeutics and/or eradication of HIV from infected individuals. To accomplish this goal, the conference aims to: 1) Introduce the state of the art in vaccine and neutralizing antibody strategies used to combat HIV; 2) Focus on transcriptional control and modulation of viral latency; and 3) Highlight synthetic biological approaches and genetic therapies currently being developed and clinically validated to combat HIV infection. The conference seeks to bring together an interdisciplinary mix of basic and applied scientists working on functional cures and eradication of HIV in an effort to better understand not only HIV treatment strategies but also the emerging technologies and approaches that will lead to the eventual eradication of HIV from infected individuals.