2nd Generation URBAN ARCH HIV/Alcohol P01 Centers

Grant Title: Boston Alcohol Research Collaboration on HIV/AIDS – Comorbidity Center

Unhealthy drinking can exacerbate two highly prevalent HIV-related comorbidities/co-occurring conditions, chronic pain and physical inactivity, which in turn, can intensify alcohol use and affect physical and mental function in people with HIV (PWH). In this Program Project, we will conduct state-of-the-art e-health clinical trials research on scalable approaches to address the HIV-associated conditions chronic pain and physical inactivity in PWH with unhealthy alcohol use. We will also support secondary analyses of the existing Boston ARCH cohort of PWH with unhealthy drinking, and provide support and mentoring to trainees and investigators accessing the cohort data.

Principal Investigators:

Michael Stein, MD
Professor, Department of Health Law, Policy & Management
Boston University School of Public Health
mdstein@bu.edu

Study Contact:

Kara Magane, MS 
Director of Research Operations, Department of Community Health Sciences
Boston University School of Public Health
maganek@bu.edu

For recent updates from ARCHER, click here.

Grant Title: Microbiome, Metabolites, and Alcohol in HIV to Reduce CVD (META HIV CVD)

The overarching theme for this program project grant (PPG) is that alcohol associated gut dysbiosis and gut dysbiotic metabolites are cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among people with HIV infection (PWH) who are heavy drinkers. The goals of this research are (1) to determine if a tailored probiotic (i.e., contains bacteria supporting butyrate synthesis) can mitigate alcohol associated gut dysbiosis and lower levels of microbial translocation, inflammation, and improve harmful dysbiotic metabolite profiles (e.g. trimethylamine N oxide, TMAO) and (2) to determine if these metabolites are associated with incident CVD and death among PWH. 

Principal Investigators:

Matthew Freiberg, MD, MSc
Founding Director, Vanderbilt Center for Clinical Cardiovascular Outcomes Research and Trials Evaluation
Dorothy and Laurence Grossman Chair in Cardiology
Professor of Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
matthew.s.freiberg@vumc.org

Shirish Barve, PhD
Professor of Medicine and Distinguished University Scholar
University of Louisville School of Medicine
shirish.barve@louisville.edu

Study Contact:

Emily Smith, MPH
Senior Program Manager, Vanderbilt Center for Clinical Cardiovascular Outcomes Research and Trials Evaluation
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
emily.k.smith@vumc.org

For recent updates from META HIV CVD, click here.