Gut microbes and blood markers linked to heart and blood vessel problems in people with HIV
Multi-omic signatures of gut dysbiosis and cardiovascular comorbidities associated with HIV infection
This project looks for patterns in gut microbes and blood-based markers that relate to heart and blood vessel problems in people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albert Einstein College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11089534 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will analyze stool and blood from up to 2,000 participants (about 65% living with HIV) enrolled in the MWCCS to look for microbial and molecular patterns. They will use metagenomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics to measure gut bacteria, host immune signals, and metabolites and link these data to carotid ultrasound and heart echocardiogram results. Heart and vessel measures include carotid plaque, arterial stiffness, and several measures of left ventricular function and strain. The team aims to find shared biological signatures that help explain higher rates of atherosclerosis and heart dysfunction in people with HIV.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults enrolled in the MWCCS (formerly WIHS and MACS), especially people living with HIV who can provide stool and blood samples and undergo carotid ultrasound and echocardiography.
Not a fit: People not enrolled at a participating MWCCS site, unwilling to provide biological samples or undergo imaging, or those without relevant cardiovascular risk factors may not be eligible and are unlikely to receive direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify biomarkers that help detect or prevent heart and blood vessel disease in people living with HIV.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier analyses in the WIHS cohort have linked specific gut bacteria and immune/metabolic markers to carotid atherosclerosis, but applying broad multi-omics across a larger, mixed-sex cohort and multiple cardiac measures is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Bronx, United States
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine — Bronx, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Qi, Qibin — Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Qi, Qibin
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.