We are pleased to welcome Eugenia Basyuk, research director at CNRS in the team. Her project focuses on HIV-1 transcription in T lymphocytes, an important process in both virulence and latency. Viral transcription is not constant in cells and even in latent cells stochastic reactivation of only a fraction of silent proviruses occurs. Understanding this regulation will help improve two major approaches of latent reservoir elimination “block and lock” and “shock and kill”. For that, she developed an RNA labeling approach based on the bacteriophage MS2 Coat Protein. This approach allows the monitoring of integrated HIV-1 provirus transcription by live cell microscopy in cells with single molecule sensitivity. Drugs, siRNAs and CRISPR mutagenesis are used in this context to further elucidate the regulation leading to transcription bursting from the HIV promoter. This project is supported by SIDACTION (2023-2025) and the ANRS financing a post-doctoral position for Alexia Damour, a young and promising scientist. Welcome Eugenia and Alexia!