Boosting stem-like CD8 T cells to target hidden HIV
Harnessing Stem-Like CD8 T Cells for Immunotherapies to Eradicate HIV Reservoirs
This project explores whether strengthening a special type of CD8 immune cell can help people on antiretroviral therapy find and remove hidden HIV reservoirs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11112435 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers aim to wake up hidden HIV and empower a stem-like subset of CD8 T cells so they can find and kill infected cells that hide during treatment. They will study how latency-reversing drugs affect these T cells and test ways to expand or direct them using laboratory experiments, animal models, and human samples. The team plans to learn whether these immune cells can provide long-lasting control or elimination of HIV so patients might avoid lifelong daily therapy. Findings could guide future clinical trials of T cell–based immunotherapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults living with HIV who are on stable, suppressive antiretroviral therapy and willing to provide blood or tissue samples would be the most likely candidates to participate in related human studies.
Not a fit: People with uncontrolled HIV viral load, those not on ART, young children, or those unwilling to provide samples may not be eligible or likely to benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to treatments that reduce or eliminate the hidden HIV reservoir and possibly allow durable control without daily antiretroviral drugs.
How similar studies have performed: Related approaches have shown promise in laboratory and animal models but have not yet produced a proven cure in people living with HIV.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yao, Chen — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Yao, Chen
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.