Meth and HIV in the brain: how meth use may affect HIV latency and brain cells
Official title: Methamphetamine, HIV integration and latency in the brain
Funded at San Diego Biomedical Research Institute · NIH-11405037 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to understand how methamphetamine use might change HIV behavior in brain cells and how that could influence HIV persistence and brain health in people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | San Diego Biomedical Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $798,422 |
| NIH project number | 5R33DA059924-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11405037 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living with HIV who use methamphetamine or whose condition involves HIV in the brain.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without HIV or meth use are unlikely to directly benefit from this study.
What this research studies
This project explores how meth affects HIV integration and latency in brain cells, with a focus on microglia and brain regions rich in dopamine. Researchers will start with human microglia cell lines and iPSC-derived cells, then move to ex vivo and in vivo models to see how meth alters chromatin and viral integration. The goal is to identify mechanisms that could make HIV persistence in the brain harder to eliminate and to map region-specific effects related to dopaminergic pathways. Findings could inform future strategies to improve neurological outcomes for people living with HIV who use meth. The work combines neuroscience, virology, and epigenetics to address a critical gap in how drug use intersects with HIV brain reservoirs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could guide new approaches to reduce HIV persistence in the brain and protect brain function in people with HIV who use meth.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has begun to link HIV integration with chromatin structure, but this project aims to clarify region-specific and meth-related effects in brain cells, which is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
San Diego Biomedical Research Institute
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Marcondes, Maria Cecilia Garibaldi — San Diego Biomedical Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Marcondes, Maria Cecilia Garibaldi
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.