How mouth and other microbes affect Kaposi’s sarcoma in people with HIV
Official title: Impact of microbiota on AIDS-Kaposi’s sarcoma development and therapy
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11146551 · Data updated 2026-11-12
The team will see whether specific bacteria and microbiome changes change inflammation and influence Kaposi’s sarcoma in people living with HIV, with attention to affected African populations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 8, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $785,019 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA284554-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11146551 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults living with HIV—particularly those with current or prior Kaposi’s sarcoma or who are at high risk for KS (including underserved African populations)—would be the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without HIV, people whose cancers are unrelated to KSHV, or those unable or unwilling to provide oral or blood samples are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
If I join, researchers would collect samples such as oral swabs and blood to compare the microbes found in people with and without AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma. They will analyze microbial diversity and specific bacteria linked to inflammation and viral activity. The team will use lab and animal models to test how bacterial products change KSHV-related tumor growth and response to therapy. The goal is to find microbial markers and bacterial-driven mechanisms that could point to new treatments or ways to predict outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could lead to new tests that predict KS risk or new treatments that target bacteria-driven inflammation to improve outcomes for people with HIV and KS.
How similar studies have gone: Prior lab and animal studies and emerging clinical microbiome research support the idea that bacteria can influence cancer and inflammation, but applying these findings directly to AIDS-KS in patients is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gao, Shou-Jiang — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Gao, Shou-Jiang
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How gut bacteria affect AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma and its treatment
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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.