HIV reservoirs and immune responses in women across the reproductive lifespan
Official title: HIV Reservoir Dynamics and Immune Responses Across the Female Reproductive Life Span
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11417488 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant studies how HIV persists and how the immune system behaves in people living with HIV as women go through puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and aging.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 12, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $384,692 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI192206-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11417488 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living with HIV who are women or people assigned female at birth across various ages and reproductive stages.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not living with HIV or men are not the focus of this study.
What this research studies
The project uses data from a large cohort in Rakai to explore how sex hormones like estradiol influence HIV latency and reservoir dynamics over a woman's life. It looks at differences in HIV persistence and immune responses tied to aging, pregnancy, and menopause, with a focus on translating these insights into inclusive cure strategies. Researchers will examine how aging and hormonal changes may create windows where the reservoir could be disrupted or maintained, informing future interventions. Johns Hopkins investigators will lead analyses within the RHSP cohort to understand sex-specific pathways that affect HIV cure prospects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: better understanding of how hormonal changes across a woman's life could affect HIV persistence and cure strategies, potentially guiding personalized approaches.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown sex differences in HIV pathogenesis and reservoir maintenance, but comprehensive lifespan-spanning analyses in women are still emerging.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Scully, Eileen Patricia — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Scully, Eileen Patricia
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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.