Boosting T cell activity when starting ART to shrink HIV's hiding places and aim for ART-free control
Reversing effector-to-memory transition at ARTi to impact the HIV reservoir towards ART-free control
This project tests whether giving a drug that blocks TGFβ together with powerful HIV antibodies at the time people start ART can wake up hidden virus so treatment can stop it and reduce the long-lived HIV reservoir.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11201195 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use a monkey model of HIV-like infection to recreate what happens when ART is started. Around ART initiation, one group will get a TGFβ-blocking drug, another will get broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies, a third will get both, and a fourth will get a control. The team will follow virus activity, labeled antibodies, immune cell states, and tissue samples using methods such as ATAC-seq to see how reservoirs form or shrink. The goal is to provoke viral transcription while ART prevents new infection so that fewer long-lived infected cells are established.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This work is relevant to people with HIV who are starting antiretroviral therapy.
Not a fit: People already stable on long-term ART with well-established reservoirs, or whose virus is not susceptible to the tested antibodies, may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce the size of the long-lived HIV reservoir and move toward strategies that let some people control HIV without continuous ART.
How similar studies have performed: Previous monkey studies showed TGFβ blockade can trigger latent virus and broadly neutralizing antibodies have delayed rebound in humans and animals, but combining these approaches at ART start is a new proof-of-concept.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Villinger, Francois J — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Villinger, Francois J
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.