How children's immune cells help HIV hide

Project-002

NIH-funded research Emory University · NIH-11312685

This project looks at how a child's CD8+ immune cells affect where and how HIV hides in the body during treatment so future cures can be designed for children living with HIV.

Quick facts

Grant typeP01 program project
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionEmory University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Atlanta, United States)
Project IDNIH-11312685 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Researchers are building lab models that use blood and immune cells from newborns, infants, and children to recreate the pediatric immune environment. They focus on CD8+ T cells to study both their cell-killing and non-killing roles in seeding and keeping HIV reservoirs while on therapy. The team will compare these pediatric findings with adult models to find what is unique in early life. Results are intended to guide cure approaches tailored specifically for children living with HIV.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Children and adolescents living with HIV, including newborns and infants on antiretroviral therapy, would be the ideal candidates to provide samples or participate.

Not a fit: Adults with HIV and people without HIV are unlikely to get direct benefit from this pediatric-focused project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to HIV cure strategies that more effectively remove hidden virus in children.

How similar studies have performed: Studies in adults suggest CD8+ T cells can influence HIV persistence, but testing these non-classical roles in children is relatively new.

Where this research is happening

Atlanta, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome VirusAcquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus
Last reviewed 2026-06-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.