Why some people keep HIV suppressed after stopping treatment
HIV Reservoir Ecology of Viral Remission (PTC)
Looking closely at the viral reservoir in people with HIV who stay virus-free after stopping ART to find what helps them keep the virus suppressed.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11255288 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You may have heard that a very small number of people with HIV can stop antiretroviral therapy (ART) and still keep the virus under control; these people are called post-treatment controllers (PTCs). This project brings together the international CHAMP group to collect blood and tissue samples from PTCs and comparison participants. Researchers will use sensitive lab methods, including DNA sequencing and chromatin accessibility tests (like ATAC-seq), to map viral genomes and how immune cells behave. By comparing proviral genome counts and other reservoir features across many people, the team aims to find viral signatures or immune patterns linked to long-term HIV remission.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people living with HIV who have stopped ART and kept an undetectable viral load for months (post-treatment controllers) or those willing and eligible for closely monitored treatment interruption at a participating site.
Not a fit: People who must remain on continuous ART for health reasons, have uncontrolled viral loads, recent opportunistic infections, or cannot attend specialized clinic visits are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal markers and targets that help predict who might safely pause ART and guide new cure-focused treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Smaller prior studies have identified promising signals—such as lower total proviral DNA predicting control—but this larger, deeper international analysis is more comprehensive and partly novel.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Li, Jonathan — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Li, Jonathan
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.