Rutgers and Weill Cornell Medicine receive $3M to study HIV-related brain inflammation

The National Institute of Mental Health has awarded $3 million to Rutgers Health and Weill Cornell Medicine to establish the New York-New Jersey Center for Actionable NeuroHIV Biomarkers. The research enterprise aims to investigate why cognitive impairments persist in many individuals living with HIV, even while receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Research indicates that HIV can reach the brain within days of infection and may persist in the DNA of infected cells, making it inaccessible to standard antiretroviral drugs. These infected cells release toxic viral proteins that cause low-grade, persistent brain inflammation. While ART has reduced the severity of brain damage compared to the pre-treatment era, many patients still experience impairments in memory, decision-making, and mental health.

The new center seeks to define the mechanisms behind this brain injury and identify opportunities for targeted interventions to mitigate cognitive decline.