Investigating how the immune system responds to HIV in the brain during treatment
Official title: Role Of Innate Immunity to NeuroHIV in the cART Era
Funded at Rush University Medical Center · NIH-11084935 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how the brain's immune system works in people with HIV/AIDS who have memory and thinking problems, and it wants to find out how their treatment affects brain cells to help improve their condition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rush University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | January 15, 2025 |
| Project end | October 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $678,674 |
| NIH project number | 1R01MH139377-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11084935 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals living with HIV/AIDS who are experiencing neurocognitive disorders.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not living with HIV/AIDS or those without neurocognitive disorders may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding the role of innate immunity in the brain of individuals living with HIV/AIDS, particularly those experiencing neurocognitive disorders. It aims to explore how combination antiretroviral therapies (cART) affect the immune response in the brain, specifically looking at the activation of microglia and the signaling pathways involved. By examining the interactions between HIV-infected and non-infected brain cells, the study seeks to uncover the mechanisms behind chronic neuroinflammation that persists despite treatment. The findings could lead to new insights into managing neurocognitive disorders associated with HIV.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatments for neurocognitive disorders in people living with HIV/AIDS.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promising results in understanding immune responses in HIV, but this specific approach focusing on the cGAS/STING pathway in the context of cART is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Inacio Mamede, Joao Filipe — Rush University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Inacio Mamede, Joao Filipe
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.