Project Grant R01AI197903

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases awarded the University of Pittsburgh $814,507 on September 2, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to characterize HIV-1 reservoir dynamics and immune responses in individuals who acquire HIV-1 while on pre-exposure prophylaxis.

The research compares two populations: 20 individuals who acquired HIV-1 while on PrEP (such as long-acting cabotegravir) and 40 individuals who initiated antiretroviral therapy during acute infection. The project will characterize HIV-1 proviral DNA levels, sequence intactness, and decay dynamics across both groups, hypothesizing that PrEP-exposed individuals will exhibit lower total and inferred sequence-intact proviral DNA with faster decay rates. The work includes investigation of spontaneous and inducible HIV-1 expression through measurement of viral RNA in plasma and ex vivo cell culture experiments, with the hypothesis that PrEP-exposed individuals will show lower levels of both spontaneous and inducible infectious virus. The project also characterizes HIV-specific T cell and antibody responses, T cell activation and exhaustion markers, and soluble inflammatory and immune activation markers that contribute to HIV-associated disease.

Work is performed at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The period of performance runs from September 2, 2026, through August 31, 2030. This is a Project Grant, a form of assistance funding under the NIH research grants mechanism.