Gut bacteria, HIV, and alcohol: how microbes affect gut health in people with HIV
Official title: Gut Microbiota-Mediated Inflammatory Interactions Between Alcohol Use Disorders and HIV Infection
Funded at Rush University Medical Center · NIH-11416474 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant studies how alcohol use and HIV together affect the gut’s bacteria and barrier, exploring a possible way to reduce gut inflammation in people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rush University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 25, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $707,331 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA031197-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11416474 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults living with HIV, with or without alcohol use disorders, who may benefit from gut-directed strategies.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without HIV or alcohol-related gut inflammation are less likely to benefit.
What this research studies
People living with HIV often have inflammation even with good ART. This project looks at how alcohol use disorders disrupt gut bacteria that normally produce anti-inflammatory compounds and weaken the intestinal barrier, potentially worsening inflammation. Researchers use intestinal organoids and other models to understand how HIV and alcohol together affect gut resilience and oxidative stress. They are testing SCFA-promoting prebiotics as a safe approach to bolster the gut barrier and reduce gut inflammation in people with HIV, with or without AUD. If successful, this work could lead to gut-targeted strategies to lessen inflammation in PLWH.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to gut-directed therapies (like prebiotics) that reduce inflammation for people living with HIV and possibly improve overall health.
How similar studies have gone: Prior data support that gut health and SCFA-producing bacteria influence inflammation, but the combination with AUD and HIV is a developing area.
Where this research is happening
-
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Keshavarzian, Ali — Rush University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Keshavarzian, Ali
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Alcohol, HIV, and gut bacteria: effects on gut inflammation
Looks at whether a safe prebiotic that boosts anti-inflammatory gut bacteria can help people with HIV who drink alcohol keep their gut lining healthy and lower inflammation.
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How alcohol use affects gut health in people with HIV
This study is looking at how drinking alcohol affects gut health and inflammation in people living with HIV, and it’s testing whether taking prebiotics can help improve gut health and reduce inflammation for those individuals.
-
Vitamin D, gut bacteria and dementia risk in older adults with HIV
This work will look at whether low vitamin D and changes in gut bacteria are linked to higher dementia risk in older adults living with chronic HIV and similar community members.
-
Vitamin D, gut bacteria, and dementia risk in older adults with HIV
This project looks at whether vitamin D levels and differences in gut bacteria are linked with dementia risk in older adults living with long-term HIV and in similar people without HIV.
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Investigating the link between vitamin D, gut health, and dementia risk in older adults with chronic HIV.
This study is looking at how vitamin D and gut health might affect the risk of dementia in older adults with chronic HIV, to find ways to help prevent Alzheimer's and similar conditions.
-
Gut microbiome and Parkinson's disease: how gut bugs relate to symptoms and progression
A multi-year study will look at gut bacteria and related markers in people with Parkinson’s disease to understand how the gut-brain connection may influence symptoms and progression.
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.