MAIA: How methamphetamine affects immune cells in people with HIV
Official title: Methamphetamine Activation of Inflammasome and Altered immunity in HIV (MAIA) Study
Funded at Feinstein Institute for Medical Research · NIH-11599376 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to understand how meth use changes the immune system and HIV biology in people living with HIV who are on standard therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Feinstein Institute for Medical Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Manhasset, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $756,569 |
| NIH project number | 7R01DA062380-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11599376 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with HIV who are on ART, with or without methamphetamine use, who can provide blood and CSF samples and have or had residual HIV activity.
✕Less likely to help
People not living with HIV, not on ART, or unable to provide required samples may not benefit.
What this research studies
If you have HIV and use methamphetamine, this study will look at how meth changes immune cell function and inflammation even when HIV is under control with ART. Researchers will use blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples, plus existing data, to map a pathway from metabolism to epigenetic changes that lead to stronger inflammatory signals involving inflammasomes. The goal is to identify why the immune system doesn’t fully recover and how this might affect HIV persistence. Outcomes could point to new targets to improve immune health and support long-term remission strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new ways to reduce immune dysfunction and inflammation in people living with HIV who use meth, potentially improving ART outcomes and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Early findings suggest methamphetamine use is linked to higher inflammation and HIV activity, with similar approaches showing promise in understanding immune dysregulation.
Where this research is happening
-
Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
Manhasset, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pereira Ribeiro, Susan — Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
- Study coordinator: Pereira Ribeiro, Susan
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Phthalate Exposure and How It Affects Newborns in the NICU
This grant looks at how chemicals called phthalates in the NICU environment may affect the health and development of newborns, especially those born prematurely.
-
How IL-10 and TGF-ß help HIV hide in Tfh cells in lymph nodes
This project looks at how specific immune signals in lymph nodes may help HIV persist in certain T cells even when ART is working.
-
Northwell Health NCORP brings cancer research to the community
This grant supports a community cancer research program that makes national cancer studies available to patients in our area.
-
Understanding ANA+ and ANA- B cells in people with SLE and healthy individuals
Researchers will study how different B cell types behave in lupus patients compared with healthy people to identify clues for better treatments.
-
Predicting lupus flares by analyzing blood and urine
A patient-friendly look at a program aiming to better predict lupus flares from blood and urine clues to help people stay in remission.
-
Autoimmune Disease Center focus on lupus and immune cell targets
A national program aims to better understand how immune cells drive lupus so doctors can tailor treatments and identify when patients are likely to flare.
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.