How long-term opioid use changes brain cells in people living with HIV
Integrative Single Cell isoform and chromatin accessibility Mapping of Chronic Opioid Exposure in Cognitive Brain Areas in HIV
This project uses advanced single-cell and spatial methods to look for changes in brain cells and HIV persistence in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of people with HIV who have experienced chronic opioid exposure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11127711 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will apply single-cell long-read RNA sequencing and chromatin accessibility mapping to brain tissue to identify how opioid exposure alters cell types and viral activity. They will combine spatial isoform mapping to see where specific RNA variants and HIV sequences appear within slices of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Work uses both non-human primate models and donated post-mortem human brain samples to create detailed maps at single-cell resolution. The resulting datasets aim to show which cells harbor persistent HIV and which molecular pathways are altered by opioids to guide future therapies to protect brain health.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people living with HIV, particularly those with a history of long-term opioid use, who are willing to take part in related clinical programs or consider brain donation for research.
Not a fit: People without HIV, people without opioid exposure, or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to receive direct personal benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal specific cell types and molecular targets to reduce HIV persistence in the brain and lessen cognitive damage linked to opioid exposure.
How similar studies have performed: Single-cell and spatial RNA studies have improved understanding of brain cell diversity, but applying long-read isoform sequencing and spatial isoform mapping to opioid–HIV interactions in human brain is largely new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tilgner, Hagen Ulrich — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Tilgner, Hagen Ulrich
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.