Why HIV hides inside CD4+ T cells
Determinants of HIV latency in CD4+ T lymphocytes
Looks at why HIV stays hidden inside certain immune cells in people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11233152 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use a new lab system to separate CD4+ T cells that carry hidden (non-productive) versus active (productive) HIV infections and study the differences. They will map viral DNA integration sites and look for defective proviruses in those cells. The team will apply bulk and single-cell long-read RNA sequencing to identify gene programs linked to hidden versus active infection and then use genome editing to test which genes control latency. All work centers on primary human CD4+ T cells derived from people, so the findings come from human-derived samples.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with HIV, particularly those on suppressive antiretroviral therapy who can provide blood samples, would be the ideal candidates for participation or sample donation.
Not a fit: People who are not living with HIV or who cannot provide blood samples are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal molecular targets to wake up or remove hidden HIV, informing future cure strategies for people on antiretroviral therapy.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work has shown the HIV reservoir is complex, but combining separation of non-productive cells with long-read single-cell transcriptomics and genome editing is a relatively new approach with limited precedent.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Simon, Viviana a — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Simon, Viviana a
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.