Finding EBV DNA methylation signals in blood and saliva of people living with HIV
Investigating the EBV methylome in PLWH: Discovery and Development of Novel EBV Diagnostics in Plasma and Saliva
This work looks for specific EBV DNA methylation patterns in blood and saliva to help find EBV-related lymphomas earlier in people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11158693 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As someone living with HIV, this project would test blood plasma and saliva for tiny fragments of EBV DNA and read chemical marks called CpG methylation. Researchers will use sensitive bisulfite-based sequencing and related molecular methods to compare methylation patterns from people with and without EBV-positive lymphomas. The goal is to create a blood- or saliva-based liquid biopsy that can flag EBV-driven cancers sooner and more accurately than current EBV DNA quantity tests. The team plans to include samples from Johns Hopkins patients and collaborating sites, including populations with limited access to care and some low- and middle-income country partners.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people living with HIV, especially those with unexplained lymph node enlargement, systemic symptoms, or persistently high EBV DNA levels.
Not a fit: People without HIV or those with cancers not linked to EBV are unlikely to benefit from this EBV-focused diagnostic approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable earlier and more specific noninvasive tests to detect EBV-related lymphomas in people living with HIV.
How similar studies have performed: Plasma EBV DNA has been useful for nasopharyngeal cancer screening and emerging studies suggest EBV CpG methylation can mark EBV-associated malignancies, but applying methylation-based liquid biopsies to EBV(+) lymphomas in people with HIV is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ambinder, Richard Frederick — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Ambinder, Richard Frederick
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.