Abstract: The invention relates to a method for rapid immunogen selection (RIS) based on the binding a library of recombinant viruses containing randomized HIV gp120 variants of a surface polypeptide displayed to said neutralizing antibodies. The invention relates as well to the use of the HIV gp120 immunogens isolated according to the RIS method of the invention in medicine for the treatment of diseases caused by a virus and in diagnosis for the identification of neutralizing antibodies in a patient.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for rapid immunogen selection (RIS) based on the binding a library of recombinant viruses containing randomized HIV gp120 variants of a surface polypeptide displayed to said neutralizing antibodies. The invention relates as well to the use of the HIV gp120 immunogens isolated according to the RIS method of the invention in medicine for the treatment of diseases caused by a virus and in diagnosis for the identification of neutralizing antibodies in a patient.

Abstract: The invention relates to peptides comprising part or all of a conserved element within a Center-of-Tree (COT) sequence derived from a family of polypeptides encoded by naturally occurring variants of HIV. The invention also relates to immunogenic compositions and vaccines comprising said peptides. The invention also relates to methods for the identification of HIV controller patients based on the detection of the T cells of the patient to mount a cytotoxic T cell response against said peptides and to methods for the identification of immunogenic peptides within a family of variant polypeptides.