Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Case Western Reserve University received a $233,790 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), awarded February 20, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2028. The research project, conducted at the university's Cleveland, Ohio location in affiliation with University Hospitals of Cleveland, investigates cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation in vascular tissues and its role in driving T cell immune responses among people living with HIV (PWH). The research addresses the elevated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in PWH, which is approximately twice that of people without HIV despite viral suppression on antiretroviral therapy.

The project's primary deliverables involve scientific research to define the spatial context and expression patterns of CMV in vascular tissues of both PWH and people without HIV, with and without CVD. Specific research activities include in situ characterization of CMV expression in vascular tissues, quantification of CMV expression within macrophages, and confirmation of spatial relationships between CD4 and CD8 T cells and CMV-expressing target cells in the vasculature. Additional research aims involve assessing immune responses generated from serum-derived monocyte-derived macrophages in PWH with CMV coinfection. The project's findings will advance understanding of CMV-related immunological mechanisms contributing to enhanced cardiovascular pathology in the HIV-positive population.