Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Rush University Medical Center received a $1.79M Project Grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865), awarded July 2, 2026, with a completion date of June 30, 2029. The grant funds research investigating the mechanisms by which maternal use of integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI)-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy affects offspring fat and bone development in HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) children. The research addresses a critical knowledge gap created by the recent international adoption of INSTI-based regimens as standard maternal ART, for which clinical data on long-term developmental effects in exposed children remains limited.

The project employs a preclinical mouse model of gestational INSTI exposure to examine longitudinal impacts across key offspring developmental stages, with particular focus on identifying epigenetic alterations and tissue-level mechanisms associated with impaired fat and bone development. Deliverables include characterization of structural changes in offspring mass and bone length, evaluation of epigenetic modifications resulting from maternal and lactation exposure to various INSTI-containing regimens, and integration of clinical data and samples from pediatric HIV/AIDS cohorts to ensure translational relevance. This research aims to elucidate developmental pathways disrupted by early INSTI exposure and inform clinical understanding of long-term health outcomes in HEU populations.