How HIV hides and renews in the gut, urinary/genital tract, and body fat
HIV Persistence and Renewal in the Gastrointestinal, Genitourinary and Adipose Tissues
Researchers will examine tissues from people with HIV to learn how the virus survives and renews itself in the gut, genitourinary tract, and fat.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144962 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project enrolls people with HIV who agree to the Last Gift rapid autopsy program and collects tissues from the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts, intra-abdominal and subcutaneous fat, and blood. Laboratory teams will map where HIV persists, compare viral and host cell behaviors across different tissues, and study how local immune environments affect reservoir renewal. The approach combines virology, gastroenterology, and mucosal immunology methods on human tissue samples that are rarely available during life. Results will aim to clarify tissue-specific mechanisms that keep HIV alive despite treatment.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people living with HIV who are willing to join the Last Gift rapid autopsy program and donate tissues after death for research.
Not a fit: People without HIV or those who are unwilling or unable to participate in rapid autopsy tissue donation will not directly benefit from joining this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could guide future cure strategies that target HIV reservoirs in tissues and help improve long-term health in people living with HIV.
How similar studies have performed: While many past studies focused on blood, tissue-focused autopsy programs like Last Gift are relatively novel and have already offered unique insights into tissue reservoirs.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, David Mitchell — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Smith, David Mitchell
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.