Protecting HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants from Severe Infections
Official title: Developing Interventions for Protecting HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants against Severe Infections
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-11474445 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A project to help babies born to HIV-positive mothers who are not infected themselves by understanding how their gut bacteria and immune system interact, with the goal of reducing serious infections in the first year or two of life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 9, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $17,647 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HD116631-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11474445 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Infants who are HIV-exposed but uninfected, from birth through the first year of life, whose families consent to participate.
✕Less likely to help
Infants who are not HIV-exposed or those unable to participate in longitudinal sampling and follow-up may not benefit.
What this research studies
This research looks at how the gut microbiome influences the developing immune system in HIV-exposed uninfected infants and how this differs from HIV-unexposed infants. The study will compare 50 HEU and 50 HU infants at 6, 24, and 48 weeks, examining immune cell function, gene activity, and metabolites, and linking these findings to gut bacterial communities. Researchers will integrate immunogenomic data with metabolomics to pinpoint metabolites associated with immune dysfunction and test these relationships in the lab. The ultimate aim is to identify dietary or microbial targets that could support healthier immune development in HEU infants. The work is designed to inform future strategies to reduce severe infections in this vulnerable population.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide dietary or microbiome-based interventions to strengthen immunity and reduce serious infections in HEU infants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown ties between the microbiome, immune development, and infection risk in early life, making this approach plausible but still exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Weinberg, Adriana — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Weinberg, Adriana
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how alcohol and how couples talk about consent affect intimate partner sexual violence
This project studies how alcohol use and how partners communicate about consent influence intimate partner sexual violence among sexual minority and heterosexual couples.
-
How proteins change and move as heart cells develop
This grant aims to map how protein turnover changes as human iPSCs turn into cardiomyocytes and other cell types, using new labeling and mass-spectrometry methods.
-
Center for Health, Work and Environment
A national center dedicated to improving health in people who work, by studying how jobs affect well-being and safety.
-
Subtyping Core for Research on the Causes of Type 2 Diabetes (SCORE-T2D)
A new U01 grant from a university research team aims to understand why Type 2 diabetes differs so much between people and how to tailor prevention and treatment.
-
Expanded antibody-based clues to TB risk in people with HIV
A clinician-scientist seeks to understand how antibodies in people with HIV may drive the progression from latent TB to active TB, with the goal of identifying clues that could guide future care.
-
Human Trisome Project in Latin America Network
A large, multi-site study of people with Down syndrome across Latin America to better understand health and aging in DS.
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.