Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute on Drug Abuse awarded Johns Hopkins University a $668,423 Project Grant effective April 15, 2026, through March 31, 2028, under the Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs (CFDA 93.279). The grant supports research investigating MECOM (MDS1 and EVI1 Complex Locus Protein)-associated microglial mechanisms in HIV persistence and methamphetamine-induced neuroinflammation. Johns Hopkins will deliver integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses combined with advanced human-derived models, including induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived microglia, neuroimmune organoids, and HIV-infected humanized mice, to characterize MECOM-regulated signaling pathways and protein interaction networks in HIV-infected microglia exposed to methamphetamine.

The research addresses a critical gap in understanding how methamphetamine exacerbates HIV-induced microglial dysfunction in people with HIV who experience disproportionately high rates of neurocognitive impairment and chronic neuroinflammation despite suppressive antiretroviral therapy. Deliverables include mapping of MECOM-dependent signaling networks through multi-omics analyses, functional validation of MECOM deletion in in vitro human-derived models and in vivo humanized mouse systems, and identification of molecular regulators of neuroinflammation relevant to HIV and substance use comorbidity. These research findings are intended to advance understanding of neuroimmune dysregulation mechanisms and support development of therapeutic interventions for this vulnerable patient population.