Making HIV hiding spots short‑lived so the virus is easier to clear
Turning off HIV White Noise: Switching from Long-Lived to Short-Lived Reservoir
This project tests whether blocking a molecule called TGF‑β can wake hidden HIV in tissue reservoirs in people on effective HIV treatment so immune responses can better target infected cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11310769 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are living with HIV, researchers are using advanced imaging to find the exact tissue sites where virus hides and then sampling those spots. They block TGF‑β signaling in vivo to try to coax hidden virus out of latency and measure whether immune responses increase and infected cells decrease. Much of the work uses an SIV animal model and a PET/CT‑guided sampling workflow to study tissues like the gut that are hard to biopsy. The team will use these findings to guide whether this approach could move into future human trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for future human studies would be adults living with HIV who are on long‑term, suppressive antiretroviral therapy and interested in cure‑related research.
Not a fit: People without HIV, those with uncontrolled viremia, children, or those who cannot safely stop or modify ART are unlikely to benefit from this preclinical work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make tissue HIV reservoirs more vulnerable to immune clearance and improve chances for cure‑directed strategies.
How similar studies have performed: Latency‑reversal strategies have had mixed results in humans, but early lab and animal data — including preliminary results for TGF‑β blockade — suggest tissue‑targeted reversal is biologically plausible though still experimental.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Martinelli, Elena — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Martinelli, Elena
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.