2017 Archive | University of Maryland School of Medicine

August 02, 2017 | Joanne Morrison

UM School of Medicine Researchers Will Study Impact of HIV Exposure During Pregnancy on Infant Immune Development

The University of Maryland School of Medicine’s (UM SOM) Institute for Global Health (IGH) and the Institute of Human Virology (IHV) have been awarded a $2 million five-year grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to study the impact exposure to HIV has on the immune systems of infants in utero and how those changes impact the ability of infants to fight off infections after birth.

The research will be conducted at the IGH’s long-standing research site in Blantyre, Malawi and will follow pregnant women during pregnancy until the infants reach nine months of age. Research will be conducted at the Blantyre Malaria Project (BMP) Research Clinic in the Ndirande Health Centre, which is an affiliate of the University of Malawi College of Medicine. UM SOM researchers have been conducting clinical studies among pregnant women and others living with HIV at this location since 1998.

The Principal Investigators for the UM SOM Grant are Cristiana Cairo, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine in IHV and Miriam K. Laufer, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Division of Malaria Research and Associate Director of IGH.

“Our long-term goal is to identify an approach for preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV that also minimizes the impact of maternal infection on the immune development of infants exposed to HIV but not infected,” said Drs. Cairo and Laufer.

The research comes as nearly 30 percent of all infants born in sub-Saharan Africa are exposed to HIV in utero but are uninfected at birth. It is estimated that in sub-Saharan Africa alone, more than 13.8 million women of childbearing age are living with HIV infection and more than 1.5 million HIV-positive women give birth each year.

Women in sub-Saharan Africa are routinely screened for HIV infection at their first pre-natal visit, which typically takes place at in the second or third trimester. They are then treated with antiretroviral treatment (ART) if diagnosed with HIV infection. While most infants prenatally exposed to HIV do not become infected as a result ART, these infants still have higher morbidity and mortality in the first two years of life due to common infections. The precise mechanism of the increased susceptibility to infection is not yet known and this study will provide one of the most in-depth immunological investigations to begin to understand this phenomenon.

Adaptive Immune Responses of Infants

UM SOM researchers will analyze the adaptive immune responses of infants with different HIV exposure in utero. They will compare if infants born to HIV-infected mothers who were on ART prior to conception are different from mothers who are first diagnosed with HIV infection and treated during their pregnancy. The first group of infants will be exposed to very low levels of HIV, while the second will be exposed to a high level of HIV infection throughout most of the mother’s pregnancy.

The study could ultimately lead to earlier HIV testing and related pre-natal care. “Early HIV testing in all women of child bearing age may have a significant impact on infant health and survival,” said Dr. Laufer, who is also Director of the Division of Malaria Research and Associate Director of Institute of Global Health.

“It is of critical importance to clearly understand the impact of maternal HIV infection on exposed uninfected infant immunity, in order to identify the right strategy to improve the health of HIV-exposed infants throughout the world,” said Dr. Cairo.

Co-investigators for this project include Kirsten E. Lyke, MD., Associate Professor of Medicine; Marcelo B. Sztein, MD, Professor of Pediatrics; and Franklin R. Toapanta Yanchapaxi, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine.

“Our researchers have made great progress in understanding the impact HIV has on the immune system. This research will further help us understand the impact of HIV exposure and the best way to intervene to ensure healthy development of children,” said UM SOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, who is also Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Maryland and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor. “This generous grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development will allow our scientists to continue their work in HIV treatment and prevention.

This research is supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number U01HD092308

About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Commemorating its 210th Anniversary, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world -- with 43 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs; and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished recipient of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic and clinically-based care for more than 1.2 million patients each year. The School has over 2,500 students, residents, and fellows, and nearly $450 million in extramural funding, with more than half of its academic departments ranked in the top 20 among all public medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total workforce of nearly 7,000 individuals. The combined School and Medical System (“University of Maryland Medicine”) has a total budget of $5 billion and an economic impact of nearly $15 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine faculty, which ranks as the 8th-highest public medical school in research productivity, is an innovator in translational medicine with 600 active patents and 24 start-up companies. The School works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu

About the Institute of Global Health

The IGH, established in 2015 at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, is dedicated to improving global health by conducting innovative, world-leading research in Baltimore and around the world. Led by Founding Director Christopher Plowe, MD, MPH, FASTMH, the institute develops new and improved ways of diagnosing, preventing, treating, controlling, and eradicating diseases of global impact. Currently, these diseases include malaria, Ebola, and vaccine-preventable infectious diseases such as measles. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu/igh

About the Institute of Human Virology

Formed in 1996 as a partnership between the State of Maryland, the City of Baltimore, the University System of Maryland, and the University of Maryland Medical System, the IHV is an institute of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and is home to some of the most globally-recognized and world-renowned experts in all of virology. The IHV combines the disciplines of basic research, epidemiology, and clinical research in a concerted effort to speed the discovery of diagnostics and therapeutics for a wide variety of chronic and deadly viral and immune disorders - most notably, HIV the virus that causes AIDS. For more information, visit www.ihv.org and follow us on Twitter @IHVmaryland.

Learn More

• Institute of Virology

• Institute for Global Health

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Pfizer announced last week that it expects to run out of a key drug for treating syphilis in the near future — a looming problem that health professionals say could exacerbate syphilis rates, widen racial disparities in sexually transmitted diseases, and stymie global access to the antibiotic, especially within lower-income countries. The drug in question is Bicillin, an injectable, long-acting form of penicillin most commonly used to treat syphilis in adults as well as childhood infections.

Thursday, April 27, 2023

Current HIV Research: Milestones: Dr. Robert C. Gallo and the Discovery of HIV-1

In this issue of the journal, we inaugurate a new series entitled “Milestones.” This series will encompass interviews with some of the pioneers that have laid the foundations of HIV research. Revisiting these landmarks while taking into account the prospect of their founders should be an inspiration to our readers, particularly the youngest generation. Nobody better than Dr. Robert Gallo could be the protagonist of the inaugural “Milestone,” with his recount of the discovery of HIV-1, the causative agent of AIDS, and the development of the first blood test to diagnose HIV-1 infection.

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

BBC: The scientist who smuggled HIV in her bag into her country to study it and save lives

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, AIDS, had been recognized as a new disease in 1981, when an increasing number of young homosexuals died of unusual infections and rare cancers. It was also known to affect intravenous drug users and some were known to have contracted it through blood transfusions.

Friday, January 06, 2023

USA Today: Fact check: Research proves HIV is the cause of AIDS, contrary to viral claim

The claim: There is no proof HIV is the cause of AIDS. A Dec. 15 Facebook video shows Kary Mullis, a scientist known for denying the link between HIV and AIDS, claiming again there is no proof HIV is the cause of AIDS. The post was shared more than 1,000 times in a week. The clip comes from a 2009 documentary that promoted AIDS denialism, which has more than 300,000 views on YouTube.

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Lead Stories: Fact Check: Doctor Did NOT Say On Video That He Manufactured AIDS As Bio Weapon -- This Is A Soviet-Era Disinformation Hoax

Did an American doctor admit on video that he created the HIV and AIDS viruses in a U.S. military medical laboratory, Fort Detrick, so that they could be used as biological weapons for depopulating the world? No, that's not true: Dr. Robert Gallo, the doctor featured in the video, makes no such admission in the footage, and told Lead Stories that his scientific work was not part of any plan to weaponize HIV/AIDS. Historical records show that the claim is a well-documented hoax that dates to a Soviet disinformation campaign from the 1980s.

Thursday, December 01, 2022

Everyday Health: 10 Facts About HIV/AIDS Everyone Should Know

A basic understanding of HIV and AIDS can help dispel the myths, erase stigma, prevent virus transmission, and save lives — beginning with your own.

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

TheBody: What Is HIV Remission?

A cure for HIV remains elusive, but one word that is commonly heard is “remission.” Even though it doesn’t mean eradication of the virus, remission is a good thing. But what exactly is remission? Can HIV go into remission? And how does it differ from a cure? Generally, remission means that a disease has stopped being active but hasn’t necessarily been eliminated.

Monday, September 19, 2022

TheBody: HIV Seroconversion: Timeline, Symptoms, Testing, and Treatment

There are several stages of HIV infection—from the initial exposure to the virus to the development of AIDS—but a lot of important changes happen during the earliest stage: seroconversion. So, exactly what is HIV seroconversion? It is the stage in which the immune system first starts to make antibodies to try to fight HIV after exposure. Once detectable levels of antibodies are produced, this is described as seroconversion.

Monday, September 19, 2022

TheBody: What Are the Chances of Getting HIV from One Exposure?

You had a one-night stand with someone of questionable HIV status. Now the panic begins. Could you have HIV after only one exposure? What are the odds?

Tuesday, May 31, 2022

Medscape: Fatigue Affects Cognitive Processing Speed in the Aging HIV Population

Successful aging is something that most of us strive for. But with aging comes a pervasive condition called fatigue that, in many older adults, interferes with everyday functioning, mental health, social support, and overall quality of life. The relationship between fatigue and cognitive and functional impairment is one of particular interest in people living with HIV (PWH), a patient population that is disproportionately affected but whose lifespan now matches that of the general population.

Friday, May 20, 2022

NIH Grant Awarded to Study HIV Drug-Resistant Genetic Mutations Across Africa

University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM)’s Institute of Human Virology (IHV) researchers received funding from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for $2.7 million to study genetic changes in two genes from the HIV-1 virus that may make it resistant to antiretroviral therapy. The study, named INSPIRE, will analyze genetic variation in types of HIV circulating in a handful of African countries that will help to better understand the implications of these mutations and will improve clinical management of patients.

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Medscape: Decentralizing PrEP Offers a Roadmap for Retention

Good solutions have great roadmaps. For HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the road map might just be that of contraceptive care. Once an onerous process, over time contraceptive care exploded into a range of options across a broad landscape in terms of approach and accessibility. How then do organizations help vulnerable patients navigate their PrEP journeys using the contraceptive roadmap as a guide?

Friday, March 18, 2022

Deutsche Presse-Agentur: Virus hunt for decades: US researcher Robert Gallo turns 85

Few scientists in the world can come up with as many successes as Robert Gallo: The US researcher was involved in the discovery of the AIDS virus, found leukemia pathogens and other deadly viruses. Now he is 85 - and works even harder than before.

Thursday, March 10, 2022

Healthline: HIV-1 May Be More Virulent When Transmitted Through Penile-Vaginal Intercourse

HIV-1 can be transmitted through vaginal, anal, and oral sex, whether it’s with a same-sex or different-sex partner. But the risk of developing it seems to vary depending on how the disease is transmitted. In fact, the HIV virus may be more virulent when passed between male and female partners who have penile-vaginal sex than among men who have anal sex with other men, according to a new study from the Indian Institute of Science.

Thursday, March 10, 2022

HIV Plus: One Woman Shares Her Journey of Living with HIV for Over Three Decades

In honoring long-term survivors and National Women and Girls HIV Awareness Day on March 10, I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Kathy Bennett. She is a 63-year-old Black woman who has been living with HIV for over 31 years. She recently led the longest running HIV support group in Maryland.

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

WBAL: Maryland HIV researcher on latest research: It's not a cure

Scientists used a cutting-edge stem cell transplant method to treat a woman's HIV, but a lead researcher in Maryland said it's too soon to celebrate. A U.S. woman is the third known person who is in HIV remission after receiving stem cells from umbilical cord blood, an American research team announced Wednesday.

Monday, February 07, 2022

The GW Hatchet: University administers first doses of mRNA HIV vaccine through Moderna partnership

GW was one of the first institutions in the country to administer doses of the first mRNA HIV vaccines to human test subjects late last month. The School of Medicine and Health Sciences and its Vaccine Research Unit collaborated with Moderna to test the safety of the vaccine and the immune responses of two participants in the phase 1 clinical trial.

Friday, February 04, 2022

WYPR: How the COVID pandemic rattled HIV testing

The COVID pandemic did not end the HIV-AIDS epidemic; it may have obscured it for a while, raising hurdles to getting tested for HIV.

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

STAT: Early research suggests cancer drug could help flush HIV from its hiding spots

In a study published Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine, researchers looked at 32 patients that had both cancer and HIV and found that pembrolizumab, which revives the immune system and encourages it to attack tumors, also has the ability to flush HIV out of its hiding spot in immune cells.

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Omaha World-Herald: UNMC researchers develop 'molecular scissors' to target HIV

Researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center have used a new method they’re calling a “molecular scissors” to nearly eliminate HIV embedded in the genetic material of human cells.

Tuesday, July 06, 2021

UM School of Medicine Researchers Receive NIH Avant-Garde Award for Out-Of-Box Concept to Cure HIV and Treat Co-Existing Addiction

Linda Chang, MD, MS, Professor of Diagnostic Radiology & Nuclear Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), received the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) 2021 Avant-Garde Award (DP1) for HIV/AIDS and Substance Use Disorder Research, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director’s Pioneer Award. This prestigious award supports researchers with exceptional creativity, who propose high-impact research with the potential to be transformative to the field. She will work with Institute for Human Virology (IHV) researchers for this project.

Monday, June 07, 2021

POZ: Integrate Adult and Pediatric HIV Care to Ease Youth Transition to Adult Care

Embedding an adult HIV medicine clinician and care navigator into a Baltimore pediatric HIV clinic led to 95% of young people remaining engaged in adult care one year after transition, according to a report in AIDS Care.

Thursday, May 27, 2021

Baltimore Sun: Maryland researchers study whether HIV cure can come from infusing patients with genetically modified ‘super T cells’

A week ago, a Washington, D.C., man in his 30s with HIV became the first person to be infused with a heaping load of his own genetically modified cells that a Maryland biotech firm believes one day could lead to the elusive cure for the disease. American Gene Technologies’ method involves taking T cells out of a person’s blood and genetically modifying them in the lab to resist infection before they are reinfused. C. David Pauza is the company’s chief science officer and a former professor and researcher at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Institute for Human Virology. Another center evaluating entering the study is Maryland’s Institute for Human Virology, confirmed its co-founder and director, Dr. Robert Gallo, who is internationally regarded for his role in discovering HIV and developing a blood test to detect it.

Thursday, April 01, 2021

A Statement from the Leadership of the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Institute of Human Virology on the Passing of Dr. John Martin

The Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine mourns the passing of IHV 2014 Lifetime Achievement Public Service Awardee and 2017 Annual Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Lecturer, John Martin, PhD. Dr. Martin was a leader in supporting access to life-saving anti-HIV medications that although still under patent were made widely and affordably available to millions around the world infected with HIV, and for prevention through pre-exposure drug therapy. He was a tremendous clinical scientist, businessman, global public health leader, philanthropist, and good friend.

Monday, August 03, 2020

Infectious Disease Special Edition: COVID-19 and HIV: Was It a Deadly Mix?

Social distancing is one of the curses of COVID-19, and may fall more heavily on people with HIV than on those without this burden. “People with HIV, and in particular certain subsets of that group—the LGBTQ community, older adults aging with HIV, etc.—face more mental health issues than the general population,” said Sarah Schmalzle, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at the Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, in Baltimore. “Many of our patients also already face significant isolation and loneliness due to a combination of HIV stigma, losses of friends and family to HIV, and aging.”

Tuesday, July 07, 2020

Courthouse News Service: Global Progress on Ending HIV/AIDS Derailed by Covid-19

A United Nations program aimed at eliminating HIV/AIDS released a report Monday showing that the global response to the epidemic has fallen far short of goals set for 2020, in large part due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Monday, June 24, 2019

UM School of Medicine's Institute of Human Virology Awarded $40 Million Grant to Conduct HIV Population Surveys

Man Charurat, MD, Professor of Medicine, Director, Center for International Health, Education, and Biosecurity (CIHEB), and Director, Division of Epidemiology and Prevention, Institute of Human Virology (IHV) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), has been awarded a five-year grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct HIV population-based HIV impact assessments worldwide to measure the progress towards the control of the HIV epidemic

Wednesday, May 01, 2019

Large National Survey Shows Smaller HIV Epidemic in Nigeria Than Once Thought and Highlights Key Gaps

(CDC) The Government of Nigeria, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), CDC, and the University of Maryland School of Medicine released new data from the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS), one of the largest population-based HIV/AIDS household surveys ever conducted. The NAIIS directly measured HIV prevalence and viral load suppression. According to the NAIIS results, the HIV prevalence in Nigeria is lower than previously thought, allowing the country to focus on providing services to the areas of greatest need to control the HIV epidemic.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

"A Call to End HIV/AIDS in America" IHV Director Dr. Robert Gallo's Op-Ed in the Huffington Post

As the new Administration is presented with great challenges facing the United States, one will be a longtime foe, the U.S. HIV/AIDS epidemic. Since President Barack Obama was elected in 2008, I have publicly called on our country’s leaders to utilize the largest global health initiative in history - the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) - as a model to address the U.S. epidemic.

UM School of Medicine Receives $2 Million Grant for HIV Research in Malawi