Smart pill system that links HIV medication taking to real-time social and behavioral support
An integrated intervention using a pill ingestible sensor system to trigger actions on multifaceted social and behavioral determinants of health among PLWH
This project uses a tiny sensor in HIV pills to let your care team know when you take medicine and trigger help for housing, food, substance use, or other needs to keep your viral load undetectable.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11325289 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would swallow your usual HIV pill with a very small ingestible sensor that sends a signal when the pill is taken, so medication-taking is tracked in real time. If the system detects missed doses or patterns linked to problems, it can trigger tailored help such as case management, food support, housing referrals, or counseling for substance use. The approach combines this digital adherence feedback with services that address the social and behavioral reasons people miss medicines, and it is being tested in Los Angeles where viral suppression rates are below targets. The team has used this ingestible sensor technology before but is adding direct links to social and behavioral supports in the community.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults living with HIV who are taking antiretroviral therapy and are willing to use the ingestible sensor system, especially those in or near Los Angeles County, would be the ideal participants.
Not a fit: People who do not want digital monitoring, cannot swallow the sensor pill, have medical contraindications to the device, or live far from participating clinics may not receive benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help more people living with HIV stay on treatment, reach durable viral suppression, and reduce risk of transmission by addressing real-world barriers to adherence.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work has shown the Proteus ingestible sensor can reliably track pill-taking, but combining that real-time data with interventions for social and behavioral needs is a new and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Honghu — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Liu, Honghu
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 below.