Award
National Institute of Mental Health 4RF1MH136952-03
Understanding the mechanisms involved in HIV-1 CNS latency
Recipient
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Award Amount
$2,169,326.00
Ceiling
$2,169,326.00
Awarded
May 28, 2026
Identifier
4RF1MH136952-03
The award funds research to understand HIV-1 latency mechanisms in the CNS, focusing on myeloid cell reservoirs and aiming to find new therapeutic targets for an HIV-1 cure.
Description
This project aims to identify key factors, pathways, and regulators that determine the establishment and reactivation of latent HIV-1 virus in the central nervous system (CNS), hypothesizing that these are controlled by unique cellular factors specific to the CNS milieu. Using in vitro multicell lineage 3D-CNS organoids with microglia from HIV-positive donors, and a humanized mouse model, the study will define the switches involved in myeloid cell reservoirs and HIV-1 latency in the CNS. The goal is to identify new therapeutic targets unique for myeloid cells in the CNS, improving treatment and contributing to the development of an HIV-1 cure.