Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center received a $234,184 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) for the period May 1, 2026 through May 1, 2028. This award funds investigator-initiated biomedical research investigating the role of leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 4 (LGR4) in HIV-associated atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The research addresses a critical public health need, as ASCVD is the second leading cause of non-AIDS-related mortality among people living with HIV (PLWH), even those on effective antiretroviral therapy with undetectable viral loads.

The research project will advance scientific understanding of the molecular mechanisms linking controlled HIV infection to macrophage activation and accelerated atherosclerosis. Using an experimental ECOHIV/NDK model that mimics physiological conditions in aviremic patients on effective antiretroviral therapy, the study will elucidate how HIV-infected macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles regulate lipid metabolism and foam cell formation in neighboring non-infected macrophages. Findings from this basic science investigation are intended to generate therapeutic insights and advance knowledge of disease mechanisms that may inform future interventions to reduce cardiovascular disease burden in the HIV-positive population.