How programmed cell death harms the retina in CMV eye infections linked to HIV
Official title: Programmed cell death and cytomegalovirus retinitis pathogenesis
Funded at Georgia State University · NIH-11303370 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are learning how different types of programmed cell death cause retinal damage in CMV eye infections that affect people with advanced HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $387,704 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY034120-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11303370 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is most relevant to people with advanced HIV/AIDS who are at risk for or have CMV retinitis.
✕Less likely to help
People without HIV or CMV infection and those with retinal disease caused by nonviral conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific work.
What this research studies
This research uses a mouse model that mimics immune suppression seen in advanced HIV to study cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections of the retina. Scientists will examine three types of programmed cell death—apoptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis—to see which ones drive tissue damage and inflammation in the infected eye. The team will compare animals with specific cell-death pathways altered and measure retinal injury, viral spread, and immune responses. Findings are intended to point toward biological processes that could be targeted to protect vision in people with CMV retinitis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify targets to prevent or reduce retinal damage and vision loss from CMV retinitis in people with HIV.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked programmed cell death to viral retinal injury, but combining analysis of apoptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis in this MAIDS/MCMV mouse model is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgia State University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dix, Richard D — Georgia State University
- Study coordinator: Dix, Richard 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.