HIV reservoirs and inflammation in adolescents
High resolution inflammatory networks induced by HIV reservoirs in adolescents
Researchers will look at leftover pockets of HIV in teenagers on long-term treatment to understand how they cause ongoing inflammation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145904 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses blood and tissue samples from teenagers who acquired HIV at birth and have been on antiretroviral therapy since early childhood. In the lab, scientists will compare those real patient samples to mini-lymph node organoids grown from pediatric tissue that can be infected with HIV. They will use gene editing, siRNA, and antibody or small-molecule tools in the organoids to map the detailed pathways that drive chronic inflammation. The team aims to link what they see in the organoids to the patterns in the stored patient samples to identify causes of long-term heart, brain, and metabolic risks.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adolescents who acquired HIV perinatally and have been on continuous antiretroviral therapy from early in life, especially those already enrolled in the relevant US biobanked cohorts.
Not a fit: People who acquired HIV as adults or those not on long-term ART may not get direct benefit from findings focused specifically on perinatal infection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to reduce long-term inflammation and lower risks of cardiovascular, neurocognitive, and metabolic problems in people who acquired HIV early in life.
How similar studies have performed: Combining patient samples with lymphoid organoids is a relatively new approach; prior adult-focused studies have linked reservoirs to inflammation, but pediatric-focused work of this type is novel.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Blish, Catherine a — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Blish, Catherine 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.