Understanding HIV evolution and latency in subtype C infections
Official title: Evolution and Latency of T-Tropic and M-Tropic HIV in People Infected with Subtype C
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11085565 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how HIV-1 subtype C changes and hides in the body, especially in the brain, to help us understand how it can lead to issues like dementia, with the goal of finding better treatments for people living with this type of HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | October 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $881,439 |
| NIH project number | 1R01MH138157-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11085565 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals infected with HIV-1 subtype C, especially those experiencing neurological symptoms or complications.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with HIV-1 infections from other subtypes or those without neurological complications may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how HIV-1 subtype C evolves and establishes latency, particularly focusing on its impact within the central nervous system (CNS). By utilizing a unique collection of autopsy tissue samples and advanced cell culture models, the study aims to uncover the mechanisms behind the virus's behavior and its interactions with different cell types. Patients infected with subtype C HIV will be studied to gain insights into the virus's evolution and its potential to cause complications like dementia. The findings could lead to improved treatment strategies for those affected by this subtype.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better understanding and management of HIV-related complications, particularly in patients with subtype C infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies on HIV-1 subtype B have shown significant insights, but research on subtype C is less explored, making this approach relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Swanstrom, Ronald I — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Swanstrom, Ronald I
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
A center for coordinating data related to heart and blood health.
This study is working on a new system to gather and analyze health information about heart and blood disorders, which could lead to better ways to diagnose and treat these conditions, ultimately helping patients like you.
-
Healthy work design and worker well-being
A multi-site program aims to improve the health and well-being of workers by studying how work design affects safety, stress, and quality of life.
-
Unified and fair multimodal learning for autoimmune diseases
A patient-friendly AI approach will combine many kinds of health data to improve diagnosis and personalized care for autoimmune diseases, including lupus.
-
Structural factors linking minimum wage, COVID-19, and community violence
A long-term study will explore whether higher minimum wages and pandemic-related economic factors are connected to changes in violence in US communities.
-
Non-invasive tears biomarker for early Alzheimer's in LMICs
A low-cost, tear-based biomarker approach aims to detect early Alzheimer’s disease in older adults in Peru and similar settings.
-
How HPV interacts with our cells' DNA damage system and its effect on cancer
This project looks at how high-risk HPV uses the body’s DNA repair machinery to replicate and potentially drive cancer, with the goal of finding new antiviral and cancer-fighting approaches for people affected by HPV-related diseases.
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.