Understanding how HIV hides and reactivates in the body
CHEETAH Center for the Structural Biology of HIV Infection, Restriction, and Viral Dynamics
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · NIH-11327351
This project aims to learn how HIV lies dormant and then wakes up, to help people living with HIV and guide better cure strategies.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (SALT LAKE CITY, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11327351 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will use animal models and advanced imaging to find where HIV hides and where it becomes active again. They will study the molecular machinery that keeps HIV silent, focusing on proteins like SETDB1 and the HUSH complex that help form repressive chromatin. Teams will combine tissue-level imaging, single-cell transcription profiling, and high-resolution structural biology to map viral rebound from whole tissues down to molecular interactions. The project also aims to develop ways to deliver biologic therapies into target cells and test protective approaches against enveloped viruses as proof-of-concept.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with HIV who are interested in cure-focused research, willing to donate samples, or potentially join future trials targeting viral latency would be most relevant.
Not a fit: People without HIV or those not interested in participating in research activities are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to new ways to prevent HIV reactivation or more precisely deliver therapies to hidden virus, advancing efforts toward durable cures.
How similar studies have performed: Related research has identified some mechanisms of HIV latency and tested partial ‘wake-and-kill’ approaches, but a dependable cure has not yet been achieved, so this builds on promising but unproven work.
Where this research is happening
SALT LAKE CITY, UNITED STATES
- UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH — SALT LAKE CITY, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: MOTHES, WALTHER H — UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
- Study coordinator: MOTHES, WALTHER H
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.
Conditions: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus