Dendritic cell therapy to expose and clear hidden HIV
Antigen-specific ‘kick and kill’ of the latent HIV reservoir using dendritic cells
This work uses specially programmed immune cells to wake up hidden HIV and help the body's killer T cells remove infected cells in people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11254919 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers take a person’s own immune cells and turn them into dendritic cells that make a key immune signal (IL-12) and carry pieces of CMV and HIV. These engineered cells are meant to 'kick' latent HIV out of hiding and boost HIV-specific killer T cells to 'kill' the infected cells. The team will study how this process works in the lab and move the approach toward tests that could involve people. The goal is to combine precise peptide targets and cell programming to better reveal and eliminate the viral reservoir.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with HIV who are on stable antiretroviral therapy and interested in experimental cure-focused immune therapies would be the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People with uncontrolled HIV viremia, who cannot provide autologous blood samples, or who have medical conditions that rule out immune-based therapies may not receive benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could shrink or eliminate hidden HIV reservoirs and move closer to a cure or long-term remission without continuous drugs.
How similar studies have performed: Related dendritic-cell and 'kick-and-kill' approaches have produced immune responses in prior studies but have not yet reliably cleared the latent HIV reservoir, making this combination strategy relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mailliard, Robbie B — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Mailliard, Robbie B
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.