Hepatitis C elimination for people who inject drugs through better care and HIV connection
Official title: Prospects for hepatitis C elimination in networks of people who inject drugs through improvements in the care continuum
Funded at University of Miami School of Medicine · NIH-11362730 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to model how to best improve hepatitis C care among people who inject drugs, especially when they also have HIV, to reduce infections and healthcare costs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R00DA056297-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11362730 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who inject drugs, especially those living with HIV coinfection, who are navigating hepatitis C care.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not affected by hepatitis C or not connected to injection networks may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses mathematical and statistical simulations to understand how network patterns among people who inject drugs affect hepatitis C and HIV spread. It will create an agent-based model that represents how individuals move through the hepatitis C care continuum and how interventions at multiple steps influence outcomes and costs. By focusing on real-world contexts and service environments, the study aims to inform policies that maximize health impact and cost-effectiveness for PWID with HIV coinfection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide policies and programs to more effectively eliminate hepatitis C among PWID by targeting care at multiple steps and considering HIV coinfection.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have started to examine population-level impacts, but this project advances through dynamic network modeling and cost-effectiveness analysis.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Miami School of Medicine
Coral Gables, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhu, Lin — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Zhu, Lin
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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.