This Project Grant award, valued at $637,738.00, was provided by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) under the Oral Diseases and Disorders Research (CFDA 93.121) federal grant program. The research aims to investigate the role of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in increasing susceptibility to oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in people living with HIV and those taking ART for pre-exposure prophylaxis. The key objectives are to: 1) compare the prevalence and incidence of oral HPV infection between ART-treated individuals and HIV-seronegative, ART-naive controls; 2) examine the impact of ART on the integrity of the oral mucosal barrier; and 3) determine the effect of ART on oral tissue susceptibility to HPV16 infection through in vitro experimentation. This research, conducted by Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans, is expected to provide new insights into the interplay between HIV, ART, and HPV that could reveal opportunities to prevent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in this high-risk population.
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