Bone loss after starting HIV treatment — the gut and microbiome
Official title: Predictors of Antiretroviral Immunereconstitution Bone Loss - the Gut and the Microbiome
Funded at Emory University · NIH-11177753 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether gut damage and changes in the gut microbiome cause bone loss in adults living with HIV who start 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 start | September 21, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $551,276 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR079298-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11177753 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (age 21 and older) living with HIV who are about to start or have recently started antiretroviral therapy are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without HIV, children under 21, or those who have been on stable antiretroviral therapy for many years are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
What this research studies
If you join, the team will follow adults living with HIV who are starting antiretroviral therapy and measure bone density before and during the first months on treatment. They'll collect blood and stool samples to check immune cell activity, inflammatory markers, and the makeup of the gut microbiome, and may analyze T cell receptors to see which immune clones expand. The goal is to link early immune changes and gut microbial signals to the amount of bone loss that happens in the first ~6 months after starting therapy. Some lab work may use these human samples to better understand how immune responses to microbes can lead to bone damage.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify people at high risk for rapid bone loss after starting HIV treatment and guide ways to prevent fractures.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that antiretroviral therapy can cause acute bone loss linked to immune activation, but linking these changes to the gut microbiome and specific T cell responses is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Emory University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Weitzmann, Mervyn Neale — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Weitzmann, Mervyn Neale
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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.