HIV reservoir and how the virus returns after stopping treatment
Project-004
This project looks at why HIV comes back after stopping antiretroviral therapy in people living with HIV by studying infected cells with advanced single-cell and sequencing tools.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11327329 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
I would be asked to provide blood and possibly tissue samples if I join a trial that includes stopping ART under close monitoring. Researchers will use viral sequencing, ddPCR, and new single-cell methods to measure which infected cells are intact, whether they are making viral RNA, and what immune features they have. The work compares people who started treatment very early after infection with those who started during chronic infection to see differences in the reservoir. All interruptions of treatment are done as part of monitored clinical protocols to track when and how the virus rebounds.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with HIV who are receiving suppressive ART and are eligible and willing to join monitored analytical treatment interruption studies, including those treated during acute or chronic infection.
Not a fit: People not living with HIV, those unwilling to consider monitored treatment interruption, or those with medical reasons that make stopping ART unsafe are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify the infected cell types and signals that cause virus to rebound, guiding future strategies to target the reservoir and bring us closer to a cure.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies using sequencing and single-cell tools have given important clues about the HIV reservoir, but combining these high-resolution approaches with treatment interruption is relatively novel and aims to provide clearer answers.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yukl, Steven a — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Yukl, Steven a
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.