Blood and gut inflammation in women versus men living with HIV
Defining Sex-Specific Systemic and Gut Inflammatory Profiles in People Living with HIV
Researchers will compare blood and gut inflammation patterns in women and men living with HIV who are on antiretroviral therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11248256 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you'll provide blood and stool samples and answer questions about sexual behaviors, including whether you engage in receptive anal intercourse. The team will measure inflammatory molecules in the blood and gut and analyze gut microbes and molecular signals that could drive those inflammation patterns. They will match women and men by factors like age and treatment status to make fair comparisons. The work focuses on people living with treated HIV to find sex-specific and behavior-specific immune signatures.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults living with HIV who are on antiretroviral therapy and willing to provide blood and stool samples and answer questions about sexual behavior are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People not living with HIV, those not on stable treatment, or those unwilling to provide samples or discuss sexual behavior may not benefit or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could guide treatments or prevention strategies to reduce inflammation-related illnesses in people living with HIV, especially women.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown sex differences in immune activation and that receptive anal intercourse can affect the gut, but combining sex- and behavior-specific inflammation profiling in treated HIV is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Stacey Abigail — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Smith, Stacey Abigail
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 below.