Yijia Li, MD, has been awarded funding in the amount of $50,000 for a one-year grant by the RUSTBELT Center For AIDS Research (CFAR) titled, “Intact HIV-1 Provirus Decay Dynamics on Long-Term ART.” This proposal was submitted in response to the funding opportunity entitled “Solicitation for HIV/AIDS-related Developmental Project Grants” focused on the impact of sex and gender differences in the understudied manifestation and treatment of HIV infection. The RUSTBELT CFAR is a program funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/National Institutes of Health (NIAID/NIH)..
Dr. Li will characterize HIV reservoir dynamics in the setting of viral suppression for at least 10 years in male and female participants with HIV on ART. His research will compare longitudinal integrated proviral DNA levels between male and female participants with HIV and determine how intact proviral DNA assay levels are associated with endogenous sex hormones. Additionally, he will determine how HIV reservoir dynamics are associated with soluble markers of inflammation and immune activation. Dr. Li’s research will further advance our understanding of long- term HIV-1 reservoir dynamics and its determinants in a comprehensive way.
Please join me in congratulating Yijia and wishing him great success in his HIV-AIDS research!