Why HIV and its medicines can cause muscle weakness and bone loss as people age
Official title: Novel mechanisms of muscle and bone loss with HIV infection, antiretroviral therapy, and aging.
Funded at Augusta University · NIH-11300263 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how HIV infection and long-term HIV medicines may cause muscle wasting and bone loss in older adults living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Augusta University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Augusta, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $576,322 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR082307-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11300263 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This is most relevant to older adults living with HIV, especially those on long-term antiretroviral therapy who have signs of frailty, muscle weakness, or low bone density.
✕Less likely to help
People without HIV, or younger people with HIV who are not on long-term ART and have no musculoskeletal problems, are less likely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
If you live with HIV, this work aims to explain why many people on long-term antiretroviral therapy develop weaker muscles, frailty, and weaker bones. Researchers will study cells and animal models to see how a protein called the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) may drive muscle and bone damage. They will measure markers of muscle atrophy, bone loss, and cell aging and test how AhR activity changes those markers. The goal is to find biological targets that could eventually lead to ways to prevent or treat muscle and bone problems in people with HIV.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new ways to prevent or treat muscle weakness and bone loss in people aging with HIV on long-term therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Laboratory studies have linked AhR to cell aging and muscle atrophy and shown related bone effects in animals, but translating these findings into human treatments is still early and experimental.
Where this research is happening
-
Augusta University
Augusta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcgee-Lawrence, Meghan E. — Augusta University
- Study coordinator: Mcgee-Lawrence, Meghan E.
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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.