Alcohol, aging-like changes, and immune aging in people living with HIV
Official title: Alcohol, Immunosenescence, & Senodynamics in People with HIV
Funded at Lsu Health Sciences Center · NIH-11416388 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant is exploring how alcohol use affects aging-related changes in the immune system of people with HIV who are on effective therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lsu Health Sciences Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 1996 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $53,516 |
| NIH project number | 5P60AA009803-33 |
| Project ID | NIH-11416388 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with HIV who are on effective antiretroviral therapy and have achieved viral suppression, especially those with a history of alcohol use.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not living with HIV or those without alcohol use history may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
People living with HIV who have suppressed virus can live long lives, but aging-like health problems are appearing earlier. The project looks at how lifelong alcohol use may accelerate immune aging and frailty in this group. Researchers study immune cells, gut health, and related metabolic changes to understand how alcohol damages the immune system and promotes inflammation. Findings could point to strategies that protect aging immune health in people with HIV who drink alcohol. The work combines lab studies with insights from patients to translate science into better care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding these links could lead to better guidance on alcohol use and interventions to reduce frailty and inflammatory aging in people with HIV.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has linked alcohol use to immune aging and frailty in PWH, suggesting a plausible benefit pathway for this research.
Where this research is happening
-
Lsu Health Sciences Center
New Orleans, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Welsh, David a — Lsu Health Sciences Center
- Study coordinator: Welsh, David a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.