Computer genius Gates to support development of anti-AIDS vaccine

Computer genius Gates to support development of anti-AIDS vaccine

Bill Gates is to give £143 million to help speed up development of a vaccine against HIV and Aids. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will award the cash in grants over the next five years to create an international network of scientists to work on the project, Scotsman reports.

More than 40 million people are believed to be infected with HIV/Aids, according to BBC News.

While dozens of different potential vaccines have been trialled in the 25 years since the HIV virus was first identified, scientists have struggled to develop an effective vaccine.

Dr Nicholas Hellmann, acting director of the Gates Foundation's HIV, TB and reproductive health programme, acknowledged that an effective vaccine may still be 10 years away.