Role of innate immunity in HAND during the era of effective HIV therapy
Official title: Role Of Innate Immunity to NeuroHIV in the cART Era
Funded at Rush University Medical Center · NIH-11467258 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant explores why people with HIV on modern therapies still experience brain inflammation and cognitive changes, and whether innate immune signaling in brain cells drives these issues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rush University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | January 15, 2025 |
| Project end | October 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2027 |
| Award (this year) | $611,918 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH139377-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11467258 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living with HIV on effective antiretroviral therapy who may have or be at risk for HAND.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without HAND symptoms or those not involved in brain-related research may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
People living with HIV often have neurocognitive symptoms even with strong antiviral treatment. The project focuses on immune pathways in brain cells, especially microglia and astrocytes, to understand how they communicate and possibly worsen neuroinflammation under cART. Researchers plan to study how HIV-infected and uninfected brain cells interact and how innate immune sensors like cGAS/STING contribute to this process. The results could point to new targets for reducing brain inflammation and cognitive problems in HIV. The grant uses laboratory models and analyses of brain cell interactions to map these mechanisms in the context of current HIV therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A better understanding of brain inflammation in treated HIV could lead to new strategies to prevent or treat HAND.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests innate immune pathways in microglia influence neuroinflammation, with potential for targeted therapies, but exact mechanisms in cART-treated HAND need clarification.
Where this research is happening
-
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: I. Mamede, Joao — Rush University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: I. Mamede, Joao
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.