Connections between HIV, gut bacteria, and drug use
Official title: HIV Complex Causal Modeling: Gut Microbiome, Drug Use, and Immune Responses
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11145110 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using large genetic datasets, researchers will look for links between drug use, gut microbes, immune changes, and the chance of getting HIV to help people affected by HIV and substance use.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $163,625 |
| NIH project number | 5R21DA061372-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11145110 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with a history of cannabis, cocaine, tobacco, or opioid use and those at risk of or living with HIV are the most relevant groups for the findings of this project.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose HIV risk is driven entirely by factors unrelated to substance use, gut microbes, or genetic influences may not see direct benefit from this work.
What this research studies
This project analyzes existing human genetic and microbiome data to untangle whether drug use influences gut bacteria and immune markers in ways that change HIV risk. Researchers will combine large-scale genome-wide association study results with methods called Mendelian randomization and mediation analysis to try to infer cause-and-effect relationships. They will examine four types of drug use disorders—cannabis, cocaine, tobacco, and opioids—alongside gut microbiome and immune biomarker data. The goal is to identify drug-specific pathways that might explain why some people are more likely to acquire HIV.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new targets in the gut or immune system for preventing or reducing HIV risk among people who use drugs.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked drug use and microbiome shifts to immune differences, but applying genetic Mendelian randomization to infer causal effects on HIV risk is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Bao-Zhu — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Yang, Bao-Zhu
Related research
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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.