Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded $162,000 to The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology on February 5, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) for the project "Defining the Single-Cell Epigenetic Landscape of the HIV-1 Reservoir for Effective Latency Reversal." The project, which will be completed by January 31, 2028, focuses on advancing scientific understanding of how Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) establishes latency at the epigenetic level—specifically examining how integrated viral DNA (proviruses) is regulated through chromatin accessibility and condensation patterns. This research addresses a critical gap in HIV cure strategies, as current latency reversal pharmacological agents achieve only partial reactivation of HIV-infected cells, limiting the efficacy of interventional elimination therapies.

The research deliverables include characterization of the epigenetic heterogeneity of latent HIV proviruses using single-cell analysis techniques to distinguish between transcriptionally silent proviruses in condensed (heterochromatic) DNA versus those in more accessible (euchromatic) regions. By mapping the single-cell epigenetic landscape of the HIV-1 reservoir, this work will provide foundational knowledge to inform the development of more efficient latency reversal strategies that could enable complete reactivation of infected cells and support the advancement toward functional HIV cures, thereby reducing lifetime dependency on antiretroviral therapy and associated long-term health complications for people with HIV.