Multimodal profiling of HIV and inflammation in brain immune cells
Official title: Multimodal profiling of microglia during HIV infection and substance use disorder
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11408757 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project studies how cocaine use and HIV infection affect immune cells in the brain, to find new ways to improve treatments and protect brain health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $735,222 |
| NIH project number | 5R33DA059917-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11408757 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living with HIV who use cocaine and have brain involvement or neurocognitive concerns may be relevant for related future studies.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without HIV infection or cocaine exposure are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Researchers will explore how long-term HIV expression in macrophages and microglia is influenced by cocaine, focusing on inflammation and brain health. They developed HID-Seq, a method that reads HIV DNA and RNA together with host cell gene activity in single cells. This approach aims to map which cell types harbor HIV and how they relate to inflammatory signals, potentially guiding new therapeutic strategies. The work is conducted in a human-relevant system using advanced sequencing tech to link viral activity with cellular responses.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could identify new targets for therapies that limit HIV activity in brain immune cells and reduce inflammation-related neuropsychiatric damage.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work with similar single-cell and proviral profiling approaches has yielded valuable insights, and this project builds on that progress.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jordan-Sciutto, Kelly L — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Jordan-Sciutto, Kelly L
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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.