HIV and liver circadian rhythms: how co-infections affect liver health
Official title: Impact of HIV co-infections and comorbidities on circadian rhythm in the liver
Funded at Emory University · NIH-11345952 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how HIV-related infections and liver conditions interact with our body’s clock to influence liver disease in people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $540,074 |
| NIH project number | 5DP1DK139804-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11345952 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people living with HIV who may also have HBV co-infection or fatty liver disease, and who could participate in future translational studies or related trials.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without HIV or without liver complications may not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Researchers will study liver biology in cell culture and animal models to understand how HIV and hepatitis B, plus fatty liver disease, may disrupt circadian rhythms and worsen liver damage. They will examine how clock genes and metabolic pathways change when HIV-related infections are present and how this affects drug metabolism and liver health. The goal is to identify mechanisms that link circadian disruption with liver complications in HIV, which could point to new ways to prevent or treat these problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better timing of medications and new strategies to protect liver health in people with HIV and co-infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research suggests circadian rhythms influence liver disease and antiviral drug metabolism, with growing evidence in HIV-related contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
Emory University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Michailidis, Eleftherios — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Michailidis, Eleftherios
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Circadian control of brain blood vessels in Alzheimer’s disease
A researcher at Emory is studying how daily biological rhythms influence the brain’s blood vessels to improve brain drug delivery in Alzheimer’s disease.
-
Understanding the biology behind Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder (DSWPD) and new treatment ideas
This NIH grant aims to understand why some people, including teens and adults, have DSWPD and how to develop better circadian-based treatments to improve sleep and daily functioning.
-
Sleep, circadian rhythms, and the brain’s reward system in teens
A study in teens aims to understand how sleep patterns and daily rhythms influence risk-taking and substance use by looking at brain circuits involved in reward and control.
-
Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder: Understanding Why Some People Sleep Late
A study at Northwestern University is exploring why some people with delayed sleep patterns have different light sensitivity and how this affects their sleep timing, with the goal of personalizing treatment for those with DSWPD.
-
Sleep and circadian factors linked to opioid treatment outcomes
A long-term study at Johns Hopkins will follow people on buprenorphine or methadone to see how sleep quality and daily rhythms relate to ongoing opioid use.
-
Exercise timing to reset the brain’s body clock in breast cancer care
A study tests whether exercising at specific times can reset the brain’s circadian clock and potentially improve well-being for people coping with breast cancer.
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.