Targeting HIV to remove its footprints by RNA tricks in infected cells
Official title: Direct and Indirect Targeting of HIV Tat for Selective RNA Degradation and Protein Suppression
Funded at University of Melbourne · NIH-11415813 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to use CRISPR-based RNA tricks to cut HIV messages and weaken a cell’s survival signals, helping to kill HIV-infected cells in people on ART.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Melbourne NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Melbourne, Australia) |
| Project start | September 12, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $424,778 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI194343-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11415813 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living with HIV on stable antiretroviral therapy whose CD4+ T cells can be studied ex vivo.
✕Less likely to help
Participants whose cells do not respond to the delivery method or whose reservoirs are not affected may not experience benefit.
What this research studies
This project plans to test a dual CRISPR-Cas13 approach in CD4+ T cells from people with HIV on ART, using a lipid nanoparticle delivery system to reach these cells. It combines cutting HIV Tat RNA with a strategy that weakens host cell survival pathways to promote death of infected cells. Researchers will analyze changes in HIV RNA and protein levels with advanced single-cell sequencing and digital PCR, and they will explore different Cas13 enzymes for selectivity. The work is designed to move toward a therapy that could reduce latent HIV reservoirs by selectively removing infected cells while sparing healthy ones.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce latent HIV reservoirs and bring us closer to a functional cure.
How similar studies have gone: CRISPR-based RNA-targeting strategies have shown promise in lab studies for reducing HIV-related markers, but this specific dual-Cas13 approach is exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Melbourne
Melbourne, Australia Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Telwatte, Sushama — University of Melbourne
- Study coordinator: Telwatte, Sushama
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.