Persistence of HIV-specific B cells after early ART in Thai children
Official title: Persistence of HIV-specific B cells after long-term antiretroviral therapy in early treated Thai children
Funded at Oregon Health & Science University · NIH-11471552 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how HIV-specific B cells behave in children who started ART very early after birth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon Health & Science University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Portland, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $236,444 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AI194898-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11471552 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with perinatal HIV infection who started ART early and have maintained viral suppression.
✕Less likely to help
Children who have not started ART early or do not have perinatal HIV infection may not benefit.
What this research studies
In this study, researchers will examine how HIV-specific antibodies and B cells develop in perinatally infected Thai children who began ART early and maintain viral suppression. They will analyze HIV-specific IgM and germline-like IgM+ memory B cells, and compare them to later responses after episodes of viral rebound. The goal is to understand whether additional antigen exposure or viral non-suppression can drive the formation of neutralizing antibodies in children. The work uses patient samples from the Thai HIV-NAT209 cohort to compare immune responses with those seen in adults who started ART during acute infection. Findings could inform how to harness humoral responses for better vaccines or therapies in pediatric HIV care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to better understanding of how to elicit protective HIV antibodies in children on ART.
How similar studies have gone: Prior adult studies showed neutralizing antibodies after rebound; pediatric data is less clear, making this a novel but grounded approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mitchell, Julie — Oregon Health & Science University
- Study coordinator: Mitchell, Julie
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.