Federal Grant Award Summary

Albert Einstein College of Medicine received a $706,734 Project Grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866), effective June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2031. The award funds a 16-week randomized clinical study comparing vaginal estradiol versus moisturizer treatment in 50 menopausal women living with HIV (WWH) who experience genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). The research addresses critical health disparities by investigating whether estradiol therapy—which has demonstrated efficacy in reducing vaginal dysbiosis in HIV-negative women—produces similar microbiome-restoring effects in WWH, potentially reducing markers associated with HIV latency reversal and viral reactivation. The study builds on the principal investigator's preliminary K23-funded research demonstrating that dysbiosis-associated anaerobic microbiomes trigger HIV latency reversal mechanisms, establishing scientific rationale for examining treatment duration and efficacy in the accelerated aging phenotype characteristic of women living with HIV.

The research deliverables include clinical outcomes data on GSM symptom improvement, cervicovaginal microbiome composition analysis, and biomarker assessments related to HIV latency reversal across both study arms. By conducting this comparative effectiveness study in WWH—a population experiencing menopause earlier and with greater health complications than HIV-negative women—the project generates critical evidence to inform treatment guidelines and addresses the substantial care gap in which fewer than 25 percent of menopausal women receive GSM treatment despite its documented association with poor HIV health outcomes.