A method of curing (or at least treating) HIV, by obtaining small tissue mesenchymal stem cells (stMSC) from adipose tissue of a patient with HIV or from a syngeneic donor or an immuno-compatible donor, wherein said stMSC are i) 4-6 μm in diameter, ii) pluripotent, and iii) have CD11b−, CD34−, CD45−, CD 29, CD 49, Oct 4 and SSEA 4 surface markers when harvested. Preferred sources are autologous adipose tissue. Next those stMSCs are gene edited to provide CCR5− stMSCs and optionally amplified by growth in culture and/or by cell selection for gene edited stMSCs and then re-introducing into the patient. Preferably, the CCR5− stMSCs will re-populate the patient with stem cells that can no longer act as latent HIV reservoirs and can differentiate into immune cells that are HIV resistant. If desired, the patient can be first treated, e.g., by radiation, to destroy the bone marrow cells before the re-introduction. However, this may not be necessary for patient who already has significant destruction of immunity by HIV.