Finding where the Kaposi sarcoma virus hides in the body
Project 3
This project looks for hidden pockets of the Kaposi sarcoma virus in people with HIV to help explain why Kaposi sarcoma can come back.
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 ID | NIH-11184261 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
I want to know where Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpesvirus (KSHV) hides in the body so we can better prevent and treat Kaposi sarcoma. The team performs full-body autopsies on donated bodies in sub-Saharan Africa and collects samples from many organs and tissues. They run laboratory tests to detect KSHV, infected cells, and signs of viral activity and compare findings in people with HIV, with and without KS. Mapping these reservoirs could point to where the virus re-emerges and suggest new treatment or prevention approaches for people living with HIV.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults living with HIV who are KSHV-seropositive or have had Kaposi sarcoma and who consent to full-body or postmortem tissue donation.
Not a fit: People without HIV or KSHV infection, or those unwilling or unable to donate tissues after death, would not directly benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify tissue targets for new treatments or strategies to prevent Kaposi sarcoma recurrence in people with HIV.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior studies have detected KSHV in certain tissues like the brain, but systematically mapping whole-body reservoirs using full-body autopsies is largely novel and not yet established.
Where this research is happening
New Orleans, United States
- Lsu Health Sciences Center — New Orleans, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tso, for Yue — Lsu Health Sciences Center
- Study coordinator: Tso, for Yue
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.