Understanding how HIV interacts with cells and moves through the body
CHEETAH Center for the Structural Biology of HIV Infection, Restriction, and Viral Dynamics
A university center will map how HIV attaches to and is blocked by human cells and how it moves in tissues to guide better treatments for people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11327339 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This center brings together multiple laboratories to map the molecular steps of HIV infection, the ways human cells recognize and restrict the virus, and how viral populations change across tissues. Teams will use high-resolution structural methods, tissue and whole-animal imaging to find sites of viral rebound, and studies of proviral silencing and reactivation. Shared scientific cores will provide access to advanced microscopes, imaging, and analysis tools, while an administrative core coordinates outreach and training. A developmental core will support early-stage researchers working to turn these findings toward new therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with HIV who are willing to provide samples, join observational efforts, or consider future interventional trials would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: People without HIV or those seeking immediate changes to their current clinical care are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this center's research activities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new targets and strategies to stop HIV replication, prevent viral rebound, or help eliminate latent virus, supporting future improved treatments or cure approaches.
How similar studies have performed: High-resolution structural studies and imaging have previously revealed key HIV mechanisms, but translating those findings into curative therapies remains a frontier that this center aims to advance.
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: Sundquist, Wesley I. — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Sundquist, Wesley I.
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.