Finding hidden HIV in people who use opioids
Sorting and Sequencing Latent Reservoirs in HIV+ Opioid Users
['FUNDING_R01'] · J. DAVID GLADSTONE INSTITUTES · NIH-11146670
This project looks for hidden HIV inside immune cells and tissues of people who use opioids like heroin or morphine to learn why the virus stays hidden.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | J. DAVID GLADSTONE INSTITUTES (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11146670 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you have HIV and use opioids, researchers will examine your immune cells and donated tissues to find rare cells that carry hidden HIV using a method called FIND-Seq. They will compare samples from people who used morphine or heroin and those who did not, focusing on spleen, gut, and brain tissues. Lab tests will study gene and protein changes in infected cells and test whether those changes help the virus hide and survive. The team will also improve genomic and proteomic methods to better identify and study these reservoir cells.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people living with HIV who have a history of using opioids such as morphine or heroin and who can provide or consent to tissue or blood samples (including participants in the Last Gift program).
Not a fit: People without HIV or people with HIV who have never used opioids are unlikely to directly benefit from the specific findings of this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal how opioid use changes the hidden HIV reservoir and point to new ways to clear or control hidden virus in people who use opioids.
How similar studies have performed: The team has published prior FIND-Seq work characterizing HIV DNA+ CD4+ T cells in Nature, but applying these methods to tissue reservoirs from opioid users is a new extension.
Where this research is happening
SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES
- J. DAVID GLADSTONE INSTITUTES — SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: OTT, MELANIE MARIA — J. DAVID GLADSTONE INSTITUTES
- Study coordinator: OTT, MELANIE MARIA
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.
Conditions: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus