One strategy in drug design is to inhibit HIV virus replication by targeting the HIV capsid maturation process. This process involves a complex morphological transformation of the HIV Gag protein via an orchestrated series of proteolytic cleavage events. With a 750 MHz NMR spectrometer provided by ORIP’s S10OD12213 grant, critical dynamics of the two HIV capsid peptides (SP1 and CA), in the intermediate assembly state during the capsid maturation, were revealed. Furthermore, it was shown that two maturation inhibitors, Bevirimat and DFH-055, stabilize a helical form of one of the capsid peptides. The spectrometer, shared among 12 major users at U Pittsburgh, contributes to collaborations in this and related research areas across the country.