Psycho-neuro-immune links between stigma and artery plaque in people living with HIV
Official title: Psycho-neuro-immune Mechanisms Linking Stigma and Discrimination to Carotid Plaque Formation in Persons living with HIV
Funded at University of Miami Coral Gables · NIH-11402639 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how HIV-related stigma and stress may contribute to artery plaque in people living with HIV who are on effective treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami Coral Gables NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $660,563 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL171416-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11402639 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with HIV, aged 35-59, on stable antiretroviral therapy and without a history of heart failure.
✕Less likely to help
People outside the specified age range or not on stable HIV therapy may not receive direct benefits.
What this research studies
People living with HIV often face stigma that increases stress. The project will look at how brain, immune, and autonomic systems interact to influence carotid plaque in adults with HIV on stable antiretroviral therapy. Researchers will examine two pathways: brain-region activation linked to social stress affecting blood immune signals as a mediator for plaque, and daily stress measures linked to immune biomarkers predicting plaque burden. The study will follow 150 participants over two time points to understand these psycho-neuro-immune connections. Findings could illuminate mechanisms driving heart disease risk in treated HIV.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could clarify how psychosocial stress contributes to heart disease risk in people with HIV, informing interventions to reduce that risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research suggests psychosocial stress can affect immune and cardiovascular processes, with this study extending to neuro-immune pathways and plaque in HIV.
Where this research is happening
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University of Miami Coral Gables
Coral Gables, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcintosh, Roger Christopher — University of Miami Coral Gables
- Study coordinator: Mcintosh, Roger Christopher
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.