Finding hidden KS reservoirs to help people with AIDS-related cancer
Official title: Project 3
Funded at Lsu Health Sciences Center · NIH-11623233 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study aims to map where the Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpesvirus hides in the bodies of people living with HIV/AIDS to improve future treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lsu Health Sciences Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $95,632 |
| NIH project number | 3U54CA277846-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11623233 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients who have AIDS-related KS or are seropositive for KSHV, particularly in regions with high KS burden, could benefit from advances arising from this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without AIDS-related KS or without KSHV infection may not directly benefit from this study.
What this research studies
This project uses full-body autopsies in Sub-Saharan Africa to locate reservoirs of KSHV and understand how HIV-1 and KS influence where the virus and transformed cells persist. The team will collect and analyze tissues from deceased donors to identify KSHV-infected cells across the body and examine interactions with HIV-1. The findings could guide development of better therapies and prevent KS recurrences in people living with HIV/AIDS. The work builds on previous evidence that KSHV can be found in brain tissue and seeks to map reservoirs comprehensively.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of KS reservoirs could lead to targeted therapies and fewer KS recurrences for people living with HIV/AIDS.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed KSHV presence in brain tissue; this study expands to a full-body reservoir map in humans, which is novel and exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Lsu Health Sciences Center
New Orleans, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Julius, Peter Davies — Lsu Health Sciences Center
- Study coordinator: Julius, Peter Davies
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.