How HIV and mouth microbes affect lasting oral HPV infections
Impact of HIV, oral microbiome and mycobiome on oral HPV persistence
This project looks at whether changes in mouth bacteria and fungi help explain why people living with HIV are more likely to get and keep oral HPV infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albert Einstein College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11146732 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I join, researchers will use saliva samples collected over time from people with and without HIV to study the bacteria and fungi that live in the mouth and how those microbes relate to new or long-lasting oral HPV types, including high-risk alpha, beta, and gamma HPVs. They will use genetic sequencing methods to profile the oral microbiome and mycobiome and compare patterns between people with different HIV and smoking histories. The work compares thousands of samples from the MACS-WIHS Combined Cohort to detect microbial patterns linked to HPV acquisition and persistence. The goal is to understand whether HIV-related changes in mouth microbes make HPV infections more likely to persist so future prevention or treatment strategies can be developed.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults living with HIV (and comparison HIV-negative adults) who can provide repeated saliva samples and have their oral HPV status followed over time.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatments for existing HPV-related oral cancers or lesions are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from this observational research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new ways to prevent or reduce persistent oral HPV in people living with HIV by targeting mouth microbes or improving screening of those at higher risk.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work has linked HIV and changes in the oral microbiome to higher HPV detection, but using large longitudinal saliva collections to tie specific bacterial and fungal patterns to HPV persistence is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Bronx, United States
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine — Bronx, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Burk, Robert D — Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Burk, Robert D
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.