Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center $828,340 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) effective February 6, 2026, with a completion date of January 31, 2031. This project grant funds biomedical research investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1) transcription reactivation from latent infection in reservoir cells. The research employs genetic and genomic approaches to understand how transcription factors and the HIV-1 Tat protein initiate and sustain viral transcription reactivation, with the ultimate objective of identifying potential cure strategies for HIV-1 infection despite long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment.

The primary deliverable is original research advancing scientific knowledge of HIV-1 biology through a multi-phase investigation utilizing immortalized cell models of latency validated against samples from HIV-1-infected participants. The research addresses critical transcriptional bottlenecks in the HIV-1 reactivation program, specifically the initial phase of transcription initiation through RNA polymerase II recruitment and the subsequent phase involving pause-release synchronization with re-initiation. Findings from this investigation are expected to generate publications, data, and mechanistic insights that contribute to the broader scientific understanding of HIV-1 pathogenesis and inform development of targeted therapeutic interventions for achieving functional viral cure.