Brain-boosting blood pressure pathways as a treatment to prevent and treat HAND in aging people with HIV
Official title: Brain-specific Renin-angiotensin pathway as a therapeutic target for prevention and treatment of age-associated NeuroHIV.
Funded at University of South Carolina at Columbia · NIH-11542785 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research tests whether medicines that affect the brain’s blood-vessel system can protect brain cells and reduce inflammation in people aging with HIV who have cognitive problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Carolina at Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $788,127 |
| NIH project number | 1R01NS150051-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11542785 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults with HIV who are aging and at risk for HAND or currently experiencing HAND symptoms, and who are on ART.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without HAND or those not on ART may see no direct benefit.
What this research studies
The project studies how the brain’s renin-angiotensin system, which helps regulate blood flow, may drive HAND in older adults with HIV. Using human brain-like models and a rat HIV model, researchers will see how BBB-penetrant RAAS inhibitors affect brain inflammation and neuronal injury, and whether combining them with AT2R agonists provides extra protection. The work integrates human-derived organoids to model HIV- and ART-related changes and animal studies to confirm findings in a living system. Results could point to a new, blood-brain barrier-targeted approach to prevent or mitigate HAND in aging people living with HIV.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could lead to brain-targeted therapies that reduce cognitive problems for people aging with HIV.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary human data and organoid studies suggest brain RAAS inhibitors may reduce neurotoxicity, supporting potential benefit in HAND.
Where this research is happening
-
University of South Carolina at Columbia
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shtutman, Michael — University of South Carolina at Columbia
- Study coordinator: Shtutman, Michael
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.