Amyloid and HIV: How aging with HIV shapes Alzheimer’s disease at the cellular level
Official title: Amyloid beta plaque formation in aging people with HIV: Single nucleus transcriptional signatures to elucidate pathways related to viral infection
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11470035 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how aging people with HIV accumulate Alzheimer’s–related brain changes, to understand who might benefit from future therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $746,063 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AG099722-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11470035 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults living with HIV who are in or approaching older age and are at risk for Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain.
✕Less likely to help
If a person does not have HIV or age-related dementia risk, they may not directly benefit from this specific project.
What this research studies
This project looks at brain cells from people aging with HIV to identify which cells show early changes related to amyloid plaques and tau proteins. By examining single-cell transcriptional signatures, researchers aim to map how HIV and age interact with Alzheimer’s pathology. The study focuses on how microglia and other brain cells respond to amyloid buildup before symptoms appear, with the goal of informing early treatment strategies. The findings could point to targets for therapies that prevent or slow dementia in people living with HIV.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could guide earlier, more effective therapies to prevent or delay dementia in people aging with HIV.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has shown cell-type specific changes in Alzheimer’s, but the interaction with HIV is less understood and this study offers a novel angle.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Morgello, Susan — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Morgello, Susan
Related research
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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.