Using genomics and immune science to fight cryptococcal meningitis in people with HIV
Genomic Research Capacity Building for Cryptococcal Meningitis
['FUNDING_R01'] · VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV · NIH-10999571
This project uses genetic and immune testing and builds local laboratory capacity to find better treatments for cryptococcal meningitis in adults with advanced HIV in Africa.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BLACKSBURG, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-10999571 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, the team is strengthening hospitals and labs in Uganda and other African partner sites and training local scientists so they can collect and study samples from people with cryptococcal meningitis. They will sequence the Cryptococcus fungus and measure patients' immune responses to learn why some people survive and others do not. The researchers combine this pathogen and human data to identify new targets for treatments and bring findings back into clinical care. The work links hospitals, laboratories, and clinicians to speed discoveries into real-world care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults (21+) with advanced HIV who are hospitalized with or at high risk for cryptococcal meningitis at participating African clinical sites.
Not a fit: People without HIV, children under 21, or those with non-cryptococcal meningitis are unlikely to be eligible or directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective, targeted treatments and lower death and disability rates from cryptococcal meningitis in people with HIV.
How similar studies have performed: Previous clinical and laboratory studies by this team and others have revealed genetic and immune factors that influence cryptococcal outcomes, offering promising leads though definitive new therapies are still needed.
Where this research is happening
BLACKSBURG, UNITED STATES
- VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV — BLACKSBURG, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: NIELSEN, KIRSTEN — VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV
- Study coordinator: NIELSEN, KIRSTEN
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: AIDS Associated Opportunistic Infection, AIDS opportunistic infections, AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome