Neuro-immune-blood vessel interactions in HIV brain disease model
Official title: Intersection of Neuro-Immune-Vascular Dynamics in Preclinical NeuroHIV Model
Funded at Scintillon Institute for Photobiology · NIH-11391412 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new preclinical model will mimic how HIV enters and affects the brain, helping scientists study brain injury and cognitive problems in people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Scintillon Institute for Photobiology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project start | August 11, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,073,131 |
| NIH project number | 5R61NS145289-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11391412 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients directly in this stage; findings aim to benefit people living with HIV in the long term.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation in this preclinical model.
What this research studies
This project aims to recreate how HIV crosses the blood-brain barrier and interacts with brain immune and support cells in a controlled lab setting. Researchers will combine immune cells, glial cells, neurons, and brain endothelial cells to model the NeuroHIV environment, including ART-suppressed conditions. The work will focus on how inflammatory signals from infected cells damage brain networks and contribute to HAND. The model will be used to explore mechanisms and test potential interventions that could protect brain function in people with HIV.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better understanding of HAND and inform development of therapies to protect cognition in HIV patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous models have shown that neuro-immune interactions influence HAND; this proposal advances a more comprehensive and controllable system.
Where this research is happening
-
Scintillon Institute for Photobiology
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pedersen, Irene Munk — Scintillon Institute for Photobiology
- Study coordinator: Pedersen, Irene Munk
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.